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: $2,616 in Florence, SC versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,755 in Florence, SC versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,894 in Florence, SC versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Florence, SC is roughly 81% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Florence, SC 95% above, Mexico City 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.15 $15.15

$12.98 MX$223

16.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.1 $65.1

$52.6 MX$903

23.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 $10.79

$9.43 MX$162

14.42%

Cappuccino

$5.16 $5.16

$3.57 MX$61.3

44.54%

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

$2.38 $2.38

$1.61 MX$27.55

47.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.15 MX$19.81

77.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 $4.07

$3.15 MX$54.0

29.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 $5.88

$4.86 MX$83.4

20.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.70 MX$29.17

-41.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.64 MX$45.23

24.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$1.90 MX$32.67

135.26%

Eggs

$5.69 $5.69

$2.54 MX$43.62

124.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 $8.89

$10.08 MX$173

-11.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.06 $19.06

$8.29 MX$142

129.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.78 $22.78

$11.57 MX$199

96.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$3.03 MX$52.0

43.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.71 MX$29.35

-22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$2.05 MX$35.16

119.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.06 MX$35.36

110.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.06 MX$35.43

9.22%

Onion (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$2.17 MX$37.25

102.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.40 MX$24.08

40.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.12 MX$19.26

76.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.29 MX$73.7

53.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.03 $16.03

$15.41 MX$265

4.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.67 MX$28.74

4.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.69 MX$63.3

-20.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.38 MX$6.55

431.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 $4.07

$1.38 MX$23.70

194.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 $2.34

$0.28 MX$4.74

735.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.04 $29.04

$5.42 MX$92.9

435.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.28 MX$21.98

-37.50%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

50.12%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

3.95%

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

$183 $183

$41.02 MX$704

347.29%

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

$54.6 $54.6

$26.92 MX$462

102.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 $70.4

$29.69 MX$510

136.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.81 $42.81

$52.3 MX$898

-18.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$11.80 $11.80

$6.18 MX$106

90.94%

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

$1,429 $1,429

$427 MX$7,331

234.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

121.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.45 $39.45

$56.8 MX$975

-30.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.21 $30.21

$44.83 MX$769

-32.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$105 MX$1,794

-1.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$106 MX$1,819

6.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 $756

$995 MX$17.1K

-24.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,344 $1,344

$621 MX$10.7K

116.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,924 $3,924

$2,126 MX$36.5K

84.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,240 $2,240

$1,254 MX$21.5K

78.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,559 $1,559

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-60.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,573 $1,573

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-24.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,087 $3,087

$1,107 MX$19.0K

178.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

11.34

-43.12%

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

Last update for Florence, SC: June 9, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Florence, SC and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Florence, SC pays 179% 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: $65.0 in Florence, SC vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $437 vs $288 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 81% 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.

Florence, SC pays 179% more on average, 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: $756 in Florence, SC versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,429 in Florence, SC versus $427 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 $53.0 versus $65.0 in Florence, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $2,616 in Florence, SC, a $2,000 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 $1,447 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 81% less than in Florence, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.