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 $2,562 per month in Fort Madison, IA vs $1,646 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,704 per month in Fort Madison, IA vs $2,613 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,847 per month in Fort Madison, IA vs $3,580 in Mexico City, rent included.

Fort Madison, IA costs about 56% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Fort Madison, IA and Mexico City sit above the global median – Fort Madison, IA by 86%, Mexico City by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.05 $20.05

$12.11 MX$204

65.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 $74.8

$52.2 MX$881

43.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 $11.39

$10.90 MX$184

4.50%

Cappuccino

$5.45 $5.45

$4.05 MX$68.4

34.57%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$1.72 MX$28.95

51.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.38 MX$23.25

42.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 $6.15

$3.47 MX$58.5

77.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$5.81 MX$98.1

23.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.85 MX$31.28

-45.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.22 MX$54.4

5.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.09 MX$35.20

111.48%

Eggs

$4.16 $4.16

$2.91 MX$49.10

42.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 $12.60

$12.49 MX$211

0.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.22 $11.22

$10.11 MX$171

10.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.45 $16.45

$15.89 MX$268

3.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.31 MX$56.0

48.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.13 MX$35.90

-25.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.19 MX$36.97

104.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.45 MX$41.31

90.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.19 MX$36.95

31.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.90 MX$32.15

62.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.62 MX$27.26

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.35 MX$22.78

70.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.03 $10.03

$5.43 MX$91.6

84.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$17.59 MX$297

-13.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.07 MX$34.90

-6.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 $3.19

$4.75 MX$80.1

-32.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.34 MX$5.74

491.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.04 MX$34.44

43.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$0.58 MX$9.75

184.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.98 $25.98

$5.97 MX$101

335.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.62 MX$27.27

-41.98%

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

$34.1K $34.1K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

49.37%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$26.7K MX$450.0K

-6.28%

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

$200 $200

$65.2 MX$1,101

206.70%

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

$56.9 $56.9

$29.87 MX$504

90.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.2 $69.2

$36.55 MX$617

89.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.45 $41.45

$61.0 MX$1,030

-32.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$13.77 $13.77

$6.85 MX$116

101.02%

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

$1,356 $1,356

$453 MX$7,652

199.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.6K $22.6K

$13.4K MX$225.7K

69.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 $53.5

$75.0 MX$1,265

-28.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.91 $40.91

$55.3 MX$933

-26.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 $88.5

$114 MX$1,917

-22.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$123 MX$2,070

-6.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 $1,614

$1,134 MX$19.1K

42.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 $1,296

$712 MX$12.0K

81.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,516 $2,516

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-2.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,145 $2,145

$1,311 MX$22.1K

63.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 $2,955

$3,993 MX$67.4K

-25.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,056 $2,056

$2,095 MX$35.4K

-1.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

11.3

-45.84%

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

Last update for Fort Madison, IA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,614 in Fort Madison, IA versus $1,134 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 $75.0 in Fort Madison, IA versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $394 vs $345 – 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: $2,562 in Fort Madison, IA, $1,646 in Mexico City – roughly 56% apart. Fort Madison, IA costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,843 per month in Fort Madison, IA and $2,469 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 $75.0 in Fort Madison, IA and $52.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,646, than in Fort Madison, IA at $2,562. 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 $1,646 in Mexico City to $2,562 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.