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: $3,007 in Hackensack, NJ versus $1,466 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,754 in Hackensack, NJ versus $2,325 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,502 in Hackensack, NJ versus $3,184 in Mexico City.

Living in Hackensack, NJ is roughly 105% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hackensack, NJ 124% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.83 $19.83

$13.30 MX$231

49.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.5 $98.5

$53.8 MX$932

83.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.15 $14.15

$9.42 MX$163

50.21%

Cappuccino

$5.44 $5.44

$3.59 MX$62.3

51.53%

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

$2.36 $2.36

$1.62 MX$28.13

45.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.12 MX$19.49

68.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 $6.84

$3.25 MX$56.3

110.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.13 $9.13

$4.65 MX$80.6

96.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.64 MX$28.37

-19.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 $3.79

$2.65 MX$46.00

43.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$1.96 MX$33.99

163.78%

Eggs

$4.78 $4.78

$2.54 MX$44.08

88.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 $13.76

$9.97 MX$173

38.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.20 $10.20

$8.39 MX$145

21.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.09 $17.09

$11.83 MX$205

44.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.86 MX$49.62

77.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.73 MX$30.05

3.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$1.99 MX$34.50

94.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.05 MX$35.51

101.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.06 MX$35.64

40.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.28 MX$39.54

15.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.45 MX$25.05

67.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.09 MX$18.83

144.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 $11.80

$4.27 MX$73.9

176.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.76 $14.76

$14.67 MX$254

0.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.76 MX$30.58

-2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 $4.29

$3.57 MX$61.8

20.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 $3.49

$0.38 MX$6.67

818.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.8 $60.8

$18.73 MX$325

224.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.39 MX$24.09

113.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.30 MX$5.26

563.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.07 $24.07

$5.41 MX$93.8

344.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.34 MX$23.22

-32.09%

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

$23.4K $23.4K

$18.9K MX$326.7K

23.98%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$23.2K MX$402.0K

9.17%

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

$218 $218

$40.30 MX$698

441.46%

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

$52.7 $52.7

$27.15 MX$471

94.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 $58.9

$29.46 MX$510

99.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.46 $44.46

$52.7 MX$914

-15.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$20.02 $20.02

$6.18 MX$107

223.95%

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

$1,409 $1,409

$441 MX$7,637

219.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K $16.0K

$10.7K MX$185.4K

49.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 $50.9

$57.2 MX$992

-11.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.4 $63.4

$45.04 MX$781

40.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 $88.1

$103 MX$1,793

-14.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 $99.1

$109 MX$1,884

-8.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,799 $1,799

$1,000 MX$17.3K

79.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,613 $1,613

$632 MX$11.0K

155.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,439 $3,439

$2,141 MX$37.1K

60.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,264 $3,264

$1,253 MX$21.7K

160.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,574 $3,574

$3,745 MX$64.9K

-4.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,236 $3,236

$2,381 MX$41.3K

35.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,303 $6,303

$1,079 MX$18.7K

484.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

11.34

-41.62%

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

Last update for Hackensack, NJ: April 21, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,799 in Hackensack, NJ and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hackensack, NJ pays 484% 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: $98 in Hackensack, NJ vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $286 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 105% 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.

Hackensack, NJ pays 484% more on average, 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: $1,799 in Hackensack, NJ versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,409 in Hackensack, NJ versus $441 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Hackensack, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,466 in Mexico City versus $3,007 in Hackensack, NJ, a $2,000 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 $1,466 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 105% less than in Hackensack, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.