Cost of Living Comparison Between Florence, SC and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Florence, SC and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,248 in Florence, SC versus $1,682 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,179 in Florence, SC versus $2,599 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,110 in Florence, SC versus $3,516 in Mexico City.

Living in Florence, SC is roughly 34% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Florence, SC 64% above, Mexico City 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.12 $15.12

$11.83 MX$200

27.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.9 $63.9

$52.2 MX$884

22.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 $10.97

$10.87 MX$184

0.92%

Cappuccino

$4.87 $4.87

$4.03 MX$68.2

20.84%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.71 MX$28.99

51.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.34 MX$22.70

46.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.39 MX$57.5

46.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 $7.04

$5.74 MX$97.3

22.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.89 MX$31.99

-50.26%

White Bread (500g)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.17 MX$53.8

26.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.12 $6.12

$2.05 MX$34.74

198.54%

Eggs

$5.07 $5.07

$3.01 MX$51.1

68.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.68 $11.68

$12.61 MX$214

-7.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.63 $14.63

$9.94 MX$169

47.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.42 $25.42

$16.00 MX$271

58.88%

Apples (1kg)

$6.45 $6.45

$3.28 MX$55.6

96.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.06 MX$34.87

-14.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.17 $7.17

$2.09 MX$35.36

243.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$2.50 MX$42.44

139.60%

Potato (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.05 MX$34.76

103.41%

Onion (1kg)

$6.01 $6.01

$1.87 MX$31.70

221.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.57 MX$26.66

49.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 $3.21

$1.39 MX$23.64

130.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.90 $7.90

$5.38 MX$91.2

46.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 $14.23

$17.95 MX$304

-20.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.02 MX$34.31

-2.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 $5.78

$4.76 MX$80.7

21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 $6.85

$2.06 MX$34.92

232.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$0.56 MX$9.55

223.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.54 MX$26.05

-38.96%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.1K $35.1K

$22.5K MX$380.6K

56.41%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.0K $25.0K

$26.5K MX$448.7K

-5.42%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$229 $229

$66.0 MX$1,118

247.70%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$54.8 $54.8

$30.98 MX$525

76.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.14 $41.14

$36.20 MX$613

13.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 $15.24

$7.13 MX$121

113.74%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,346 $1,346

$457 MX$7,738

194.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.32 $40.32

$75.8 MX$1,285

-46.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.48 $29.48

$54.1 MX$917

-45.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$116 MX$1,974

-10.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 $70.6

$122 MX$2,063

-42.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$989 $989

$1,147 MX$19.4K

-13.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$979 $979

$726 MX$12.3K

34.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$2,503 MX$42.4K

-41.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 $1,319

$1,331 MX$22.6K

-0.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,570 $1,570

$3,895 MX$66.0K

-59.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,564 $1,564

$2,149 MX$36.4K

-27.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,136 $3,136

$1,069 MX$18.1K

193.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

11.35

-46.87%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Florence, SC: August 17, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $989 in Florence, SC and $1,147 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Florence, SC pays 193% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $64.0 in Florence, SC vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $503 vs $344 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Florence, SC vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Florence, SC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 193% higher in Florence, SC, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $989 in Florence, SC versus $1,147 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,346 in Florence, SC versus $457 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $64.0 in Florence, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,682 in Mexico City versus $2,248 in Florence, SC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Florence, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,682 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Florence, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.