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: $3,166 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $1,466 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,152 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $2,325 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,139 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $3,184 in Mexico City.

Living in Fort Lee, NJ is roughly 116% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort Lee, NJ 136% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.70 $19.70

$13.30 MX$231

48.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$53.8 MX$932

87.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.74 $12.74

$9.42 MX$163

35.24%

Cappuccino

$5.31 $5.31

$3.59 MX$62.3

47.91%

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

$2.40 $2.40

$1.62 MX$28.13

48.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.12 MX$19.49

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.07 $7.07

$3.25 MX$56.3

117.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.18 $9.18

$4.65 MX$80.6

97.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.64 MX$28.37

-18.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.65 MX$46.00

23.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$1.96 MX$33.99

118.88%

Eggs

$4.25 $4.25

$2.54 MX$44.08

67.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.43 $21.43

$9.97 MX$173

114.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.73 $11.73

$8.39 MX$145

39.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.28 $17.28

$11.83 MX$205

46.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$2.86 MX$49.62

70.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.73 MX$30.05

-9.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.99 MX$34.50

102.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.05 MX$35.51

99.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.06 MX$35.64

39.32%

Onion (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.28 MX$39.54

67.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.45 MX$25.05

71.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.09 MX$18.83

147.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.02 $12.02

$4.27 MX$73.9

181.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.11 $12.11

$14.67 MX$254

-17.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.76 MX$30.58

-0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.10 $6.10

$3.57 MX$61.8

70.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.77 $3.77

$0.38 MX$6.67

892.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.39 MX$24.09

121.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 $2.07

$0.30 MX$5.26

590.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.94 $23.94

$5.41 MX$93.8

342.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.34 MX$23.22

-30.60%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$18.9K MX$326.7K

58.25%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$23.2K MX$402.0K

8.65%

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

$127 $127

$40.30 MX$698

214.67%

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

$45.18 $45.18

$27.15 MX$471

66.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 $63.8

$29.46 MX$510

116.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$125 $125

$52.7 MX$914

136.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$15.15 $15.15

$6.18 MX$107

145.15%

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

$2,018 $2,018

$441 MX$7,637

357.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$10.7K MX$185.4K

125.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 $73.6

$57.2 MX$992

28.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 $61.1

$45.04 MX$781

35.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 $70.3

$103 MX$1,793

-32.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$109 MX$1,884

-6.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,252 $2,252

$1,000 MX$17.3K

125.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 $1,855

$632 MX$11.0K

193.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,689 $4,689

$2,141 MX$37.1K

119.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,838 $3,838

$1,253 MX$21.7K

206.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,388 $4,388

$3,745 MX$64.9K

17.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,733 $3,733

$2,381 MX$41.3K

56.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,761 $6,761

$1,079 MX$18.7K

526.42%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,252 in Fort Lee, NJ and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Lee, NJ pays 526% 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: $101 in Fort Lee, NJ vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $429 vs $286 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 116% 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.

Fort Lee, NJ pays 526% 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: $2,252 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,018 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $441 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 $101 in Fort Lee, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,466 in Mexico City versus $3,166 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 $1,466 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 116% less than in Fort Lee, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.