Cost of Living Comparison Between Hackensack, NJ and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Hackensack, NJ and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,419 in Hackensack, NJ versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,210 in Hackensack, NJ versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,002 in Hackensack, NJ versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Hackensack, NJ is roughly 106% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hackensack, NJ 150% above, Mexico City 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.66 $24.66

$11.92 MX$206

106.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$51.6 MX$890

96.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.16 $13.16

$11.41 MX$197

15.34%

Cappuccino

$5.34 $5.34

$3.99 MX$68.9

33.83%

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

$2.38 $2.38

$1.66 MX$28.61

43.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.33 MX$22.87

20.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.47 MX$59.9

131.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 $7.84

$5.90 MX$102

32.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.88 MX$32.36

-29.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.31 $4.31

$3.25 MX$56.1

32.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$2.16 MX$37.26

173.15%

Eggs

$5.87 $5.87

$2.90 MX$49.94

102.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.31 $12.31

$12.86 MX$222

-4.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.79 $7.79

$10.05 MX$173

-22.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.94 $16.94

$15.86 MX$273

6.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$3.29 MX$56.8

63.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.01 MX$34.60

-13.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.20 MX$37.93

98.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.36 MX$40.63

113.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.05 MX$35.43

50.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.90 MX$32.79

62.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.61 MX$27.68

77.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.40 MX$24.09

108.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.25 $11.25

$5.46 MX$94.2

106.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 $15.14

$17.65 MX$304

-14.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.06 MX$35.44

-17.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$4.68 MX$80.8

-25.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.40 $3.40

$0.34 MX$5.84

900.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.5 $60.5

$20.81 MX$359

190.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.10 MX$36.15

41.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.56 MX$9.64

258.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.81 $23.81

$5.81 MX$100

309.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.61 MX$27.68

-34.16%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

55.98%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

-7.43%

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

$211 $211

$65.2 MX$1,124

223.98%

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

$56.1 $56.1

$30.09 MX$519

86.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.64 $49.64

$37.18 MX$641

33.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.22 $44.22

$59.8 MX$1,030

-26.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$20.19 $20.19

$7.04 MX$121

186.79%

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

$1,384 $1,384

$465 MX$8,012

197.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K $16.0K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

20.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 $44.08

$75.9 MX$1,308

-41.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 $56.7

$56.0 MX$965

1.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 $88.0

$112 MX$1,929

-21.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$121 MX$2,078

-15.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,363 $2,363

$1,103 MX$19.0K

114.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$721 MX$12.4K

168.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,236 $4,236

$2,530 MX$43.6K

67.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,717 $3,717

$1,293 MX$22.3K

187.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,553 $3,553

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-10.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,364 $3,364

$2,090 MX$36.0K

60.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,205 $6,205

$1,037 MX$17.9K

498.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

11.3

-44.42%

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

Last update for Hackensack, NJ: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,363 in Hackensack, NJ and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hackensack, NJ pays 498% 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 Hackensack, NJ vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $418 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

Hackensack, NJ vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 106% lower than in Hackensack, 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 498% higher in Hackensack, 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: $2,363 in Hackensack, NJ versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,384 in Hackensack, NJ versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Hackensack, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $3,419 in Hackensack, NJ, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Hackensack, 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 $1,660 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Hackensack, 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 106% less than in Hackensack, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.