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: $3,404 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,449 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,494 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Fort Lee, NJ is roughly 103% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort Lee, NJ 147% above, Mexico City 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.15 $25.15

$12.14 MX$206

107.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.8 $81.8

$53.9 MX$914

51.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.14 $11.14

$11.09 MX$188

0.45%

Cappuccino

$5.52 $5.52

$4.10 MX$69.5

34.63%

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

$2.21 $2.21

$1.68 MX$28.53

31.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.39 MX$23.55

9.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 $7.95

$3.33 MX$56.5

138.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 $7.84

$5.88 MX$99.7

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.85 MX$31.41

-31.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 $3.90

$3.17 MX$53.8

23.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.56 $6.56

$2.07 MX$35.13

216.91%

Eggs

$4.70 $4.70

$2.93 MX$49.67

60.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.64 $12.64

$12.59 MX$214

0.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.03 $12.03

$10.11 MX$172

18.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.50 $17.50

$16.09 MX$273

8.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$3.39 MX$57.5

56.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.08 MX$35.26

-14.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.18 $6.18

$2.12 MX$35.97

191.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$2.41 MX$40.95

99.59%

Potato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.13 MX$36.11

91.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.01 MX$34.02

85.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.55 MX$26.21

86.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.36 MX$23.15

99.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.53 $11.53

$5.77 MX$97.8

99.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.85 $11.85

$17.74 MX$301

-33.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.07 MX$35.11

-18.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$4.61 MX$78.3

-56.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 $2.70

$0.37 MX$6.21

629.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 $138

$21.18 MX$359

553.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.05 MX$34.84

42.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.58 MX$9.79

246.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.29 $24.29

$6.07 MX$103

300.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.55 MX$26.34

-43.87%

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

$32.0K $32.0K

$22.9K MX$388.1K

39.99%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$27.2K MX$462.0K

-8.44%

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

$207 $207

$67.4 MX$1,144

206.94%

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

$78.5 $78.5

$30.62 MX$520

156.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.8 $66.8

$37.24 MX$632

79.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$125 $125

$61.5 MX$1,043

102.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$14.56 $14.56

$7.11 MX$121

104.78%

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

$2,000 $2,000

$456 MX$7,739

338.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$13.7K MX$232.3K

72.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.18 $41.18

$74.2 MX$1,259

-44.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 $58.3

$57.0 MX$967

2.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 $76.0

$115 MX$1,958

-34.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 $83.8

$122 MX$2,061

-31.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,462 $2,462

$1,148 MX$19.5K

114.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,755 $1,755

$709 MX$12.0K

147.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,335 $5,335

$2,577 MX$43.7K

107.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,068 $4,068

$1,295 MX$22.0K

214.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,284 $4,284

$4,005 MX$67.9K

6.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,730 $3,730

$2,130 MX$36.1K

75.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,631 $6,631

$1,082 MX$18.4K

512.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

11.3

-45.40%

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

Last update for Fort Lee, NJ: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,462 in Fort Lee, NJ and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Lee, NJ pays 513% 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: $82.0 in Fort Lee, NJ vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $433 vs $345 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 103% 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 513% 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: $2,462 in Fort Lee, NJ versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,404 per month in Fort Lee, NJ versus $1,677 in Mexico City – a 103% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 553% less than in Fort Lee, NJ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $3,404 in Fort Lee, NJ, a $3,000 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 $1,677 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 103% less than in Fort Lee, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.