Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lee, NJ and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lee, NJ and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,156 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $1,481 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,053 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $2,352 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,951 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $3,222 in Mexico City.

Living in Fort Lee, NJ is roughly 113% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort Lee, NJ 136% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.76 $19.76

$13.16 MX$229

50.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$53.6 MX$932

89.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.54 $12.54

$9.55 MX$166

31.31%

Cappuccino

$5.32 $5.32

$3.72 MX$64.8

43.01%

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

$2.40 $2.40

$1.57 MX$27.28

52.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.16 MX$20.12

10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.97 $6.97

$3.18 MX$55.4

119.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.98 $8.98

$4.63 MX$80.6

93.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.71 MX$29.67

-22.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 $3.23

$2.62 MX$45.54

23.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$1.89 MX$32.87

134.92%

Eggs

$4.23 $4.23

$2.60 MX$45.17

62.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.03 $21.03

$9.91 MX$172

112.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.88 $11.88

$8.22 MX$143

44.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.56 $17.56

$11.78 MX$205

49.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$3.00 MX$52.1

62.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.80 MX$31.32

-16.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.07 MX$36.08

85.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.97 MX$34.23

107.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.07 MX$36.05

33.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.17 MX$37.84

80.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.40 MX$24.41

71.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.07 MX$18.70

140.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.05 $12.05

$4.12 MX$71.7

192.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.18 $12.18

$17.42 MX$303

-30.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.68 MX$29.16

5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 $5.82

$3.65 MX$63.5

59.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.80 $3.80

$0.38 MX$6.62

900.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$326

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.33 MX$23.13

127.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 $2.00

$0.30 MX$5.27

566.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.47 $24.47

$5.51 MX$95.9

344.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.31 MX$22.72

-32.82%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$19.2K MX$333.5K

56.68%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$23.7K MX$413.3K

7.99%

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

$127 $127

$41.14 MX$716

207.92%

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

$45.43 $45.43

$27.74 MX$483

63.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.5 $64.5

$30.13 MX$524

113.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$126 $126

$53.7 MX$935

134.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$452

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 $14.74

$6.49 MX$113

127.12%

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

$2,014 $2,014

$437 MX$7,598

361.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$10.5K MX$182.0K

124.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 $75.1

$58.3 MX$1,015

28.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.7 $59.7

$45.86 MX$798

30.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 $70.2

$101 MX$1,765

-30.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$107 MX$1,854

-5.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,203 $2,203

$1,005 MX$17.5K

119.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 $1,842

$634 MX$11.0K

190.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,685 $4,685

$2,148 MX$37.4K

118.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,869 $3,869

$1,247 MX$21.7K

210.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,241 $4,241

$3,859 MX$67.2K

9.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,753 $3,753

$2,085 MX$36.3K

80.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,521 $6,521

$1,072 MX$18.7K

508.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

11.34

-44.00%

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

Last update for Fort Lee, NJ: July 20, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,203 in Fort Lee, NJ and $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Lee, NJ pays 508% 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: $102 in Fort Lee, NJ vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $426 vs $291 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

Fort Lee, NJ vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 113% lower than in Fort Lee, NJ. 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 508% higher in Fort Lee, NJ, 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: $2,203 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,014 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $437 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 $54.0 versus $102 in Fort Lee, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,481 in Mexico City versus $3,156 in Fort Lee, NJ, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Fort Lee, NJ. 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 $1,481 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Fort Lee, NJ and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 113% less than in Fort Lee, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.