Cost of Living Comparison Between Glendale, CA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Glendale, CA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,017 in Glendale, CA versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,247 in Glendale, CA versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,478 in Glendale, CA versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Glendale, CA is roughly 176% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Glendale, CA 201% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.92 $19.92

$13.07 MX$229

52.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.4 $86.4

$53.8 MX$940

60.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$9.68 MX$169

24.69%

Cappuccino

$5.80 $5.80

$3.74 MX$65.4

55.08%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$1.62 MX$28.25

64.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.16 MX$20.31

75.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.97 $6.97

$3.23 MX$56.4

115.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.10 $8.10

$4.74 MX$82.9

70.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.65 MX$28.80

-24.85%

White Bread (500g)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.75 MX$48.15

46.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$1.87 MX$32.77

121.39%

Eggs

$6.84 $6.84

$2.50 MX$43.72

173.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 $10.69

$10.20 MX$178

4.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.71 $8.71

$8.25 MX$144

5.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 $14.32

$11.82 MX$207

21.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.01 MX$52.6

13.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.81 MX$31.67

8.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.00 MX$34.96

98.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.00 MX$34.89

143.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.08 MX$36.45

48.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.27 MX$39.72

8.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.46 MX$25.47

-4.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.08 MX$18.82

94.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.94 $10.94

$4.35 MX$76.0

151.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 $14.96

$16.99 MX$297

-11.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.73 MX$30.31

47.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 $3.23

$3.58 MX$62.5

-9.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.39 MX$6.77

410.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.0 $91.0

$18.69 MX$327

386.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.33 MX$23.18

136.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$0.28 MX$4.89

503.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.21 $29.21

$5.25 MX$91.8

456.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.34 MX$23.37

-2.99%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$19.4K MX$339.4K

25.02%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$23.8K MX$416.7K

2.88%

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

$179 $179

$40.69 MX$712

339.57%

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

$46.49 $46.49

$26.87 MX$470

73.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 $60.2

$30.51 MX$534

97.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.02 $43.02

$52.8 MX$923

-18.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

Cinema Ticket

$14.12 $14.12

$6.51 MX$114

116.90%

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

$1,206 $1,206

$428 MX$7,485

181.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$10.5K MX$183.6K

127.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 $55.6

$57.3 MX$1,001

-2.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.81 $34.81

$45.50 MX$796

-23.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$104 MX$1,819

-1.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 $153

$108 MX$1,885

41.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 $1,629

$1,003 MX$17.5K

62.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,574 $2,574

$623 MX$10.9K

313.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,844 $4,844

$2,109 MX$36.9K

129.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,456 $3,456

$1,218 MX$21.3K

183.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,030 $5,030

$1,038 MX$18.1K

384.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

11.34

-42.42%

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

Last update for Glendale, CA: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,629 in Glendale, CA and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Glendale, CA pays 385% 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: $86.0 in Glendale, CA vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $292 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

Glendale, CA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 176% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 385% higher in Glendale, CA, 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: $1,629 in Glendale, CA versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 387% less than in Glendale, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,206 in Glendale, CA versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $4,017 in Glendale, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Glendale, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mexico City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Glendale, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Glendale, CA 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 176% less than in Glendale, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.