Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Madison, IA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Madison, IA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,532 per month in Fort Madison, IA vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,724 per month in Fort Madison, IA vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,915 per month in Fort Madison, IA vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Fort Madison, IA costs about 73% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Fort Madison, IA and Mexico City sit above the global median – Fort Madison, IA by 89%, Mexico City by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.23 $19.23

$13.18 MX$230

45.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 $74.0

$53.9 MX$941

37.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.08 $11.08

$9.42 MX$165

17.62%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$3.55 MX$62.0

42.54%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$1.62 MX$28.25

53.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.11 MX$19.46

78.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$3.12 MX$54.5

91.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.63 MX$80.9

48.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.70 MX$29.71

-41.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.72 MX$47.47

32.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$1.91 MX$33.39

125.65%

Eggs

$4.18 $4.18

$2.54 MX$44.29

64.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.07 $12.07

$10.03 MX$175

20.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.34 $11.34

$8.09 MX$141

40.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.54 $15.54

$11.62 MX$203

33.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$2.97 MX$51.8

68.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.81 MX$31.55

-9.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.01 MX$35.16

115.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$2.03 MX$35.54

136.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.12 MX$37.10

35.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.27 MX$39.63

23.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.40 MX$24.45

44.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.13 MX$19.74

93.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.87 $9.87

$4.27 MX$74.6

131.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.77 $14.77

$15.56 MX$272

-5.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.76 MX$30.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.60 MX$62.8

-4.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.38 MX$6.69

415.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$335

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.38 MX$24.03

154.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$0.28 MX$4.83

467.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.82 $28.82

$5.45 MX$95.1

428.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.30 MX$22.77

-30.77%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$18.7K MX$326.4K

58.73%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$23.1K MX$404.0K

8.67%

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

$188 $188

$40.86 MX$714

359.28%

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

$51.9 $51.9

$26.81 MX$468

93.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 $68.3

$29.96 MX$523

127.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.73 $42.73

$52.0 MX$908

-17.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$469

Cinema Ticket

$13.61 $13.61

$6.30 MX$110

116.03%

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

$1,320 $1,320

$436 MX$7,617

202.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$10.4K MX$181.9K

126.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$56.7 MX$989

-8.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.61 $39.61

$44.38 MX$775

-10.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 $87.1

$103 MX$1,798

-15.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$106 MX$1,843

5.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,574 $1,574

$1,022 MX$17.8K

53.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 $1,342

$631 MX$11.0K

112.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,619 $2,619

$2,136 MX$37.3K

22.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 $2,251

$1,243 MX$21.7K

81.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,511 $2,511

$3,903 MX$68.2K

-35.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,421 $2,421

$2,064 MX$36.1K

17.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.34

-42.59%

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

Last update for Fort Madison, IA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,574 in Fort Madison, IA versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Fort Madison, IA versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $288 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Madison, IA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,532 in Fort Madison, IA, $1,467 in Mexico City – roughly 73% apart. Fort Madison, IA costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,799 per month in Fort Madison, IA and $2,201 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Fort Madison, IA and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Fort Madison, IA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,467, than in Fort Madison, IA at $2,532. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fort Madison, IA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,467 in Mexico City to $2,532 in Fort Madison, IA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fort Madison, IA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.