Cost of Living Comparison Between Hays, KS and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Hays, KS and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,613 per month in Hays, KS vs $1,466 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,721 per month in Hays, KS vs $2,325 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,829 per month in Hays, KS vs $3,184 in Mexico City, rent included.

Hays, KS costs about 78% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hays, KS and Mexico City sit above the global median – Hays, KS by 95%, Mexico City by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.18 $15.18

$13.30 MX$231

14.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.86 $44.86

$53.8 MX$932

-16.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.02 $10.02

$9.42 MX$163

6.37%

Cappuccino

$4.58 $4.58

$3.59 MX$62.3

27.58%

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

$2.45 $2.45

$1.62 MX$28.13

51.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.12 MX$19.49

-8.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.25 MX$56.3

8.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.65 MX$80.6

-2.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.64 MX$28.37

-42.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.65 MX$46.00

41.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$1.96 MX$33.99

119.90%

Eggs

$3.96 $3.96

$2.54 MX$44.08

55.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 $9.72

$9.97 MX$173

-2.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 $7.90

$8.39 MX$145

-5.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.83 $17.83

$11.83 MX$205

50.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$2.86 MX$49.62

91.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.73 MX$30.05

-6.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$1.99 MX$34.50

146.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$2.05 MX$35.51

122.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.06 MX$35.64

24.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.28 MX$39.54

18.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.45 MX$25.05

40.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.09 MX$18.83

69.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.10 $9.10

$4.27 MX$73.9

113.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.79 $11.79

$14.67 MX$254

-19.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.76 MX$30.58

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.57 MX$61.8

9.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.38 MX$6.67

439.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.39 MX$24.09

74.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 $1.50

$0.30 MX$5.26

400.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.54 $26.54

$5.41 MX$93.8

390.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.34 MX$23.22

-44.03%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$18.9K MX$326.7K

51.32%

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

$23.8K $23.8K

$23.2K MX$402.0K

2.41%

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

$315 $315

$40.30 MX$698

681.86%

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

$56.0 $56.0

$27.15 MX$471

106.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.1 $74.1

$29.46 MX$510

151.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.76 $42.76

$52.7 MX$914

-18.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$12.90 $12.90

$6.18 MX$107

108.74%

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

$903 $903

$441 MX$7,637

104.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K $16.1K

$10.7K MX$185.4K

50.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.89 $45.89

$57.2 MX$992

-19.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.99 $37.99

$45.04 MX$781

-15.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$103 MX$1,793

4.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$109 MX$1,884

3.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 $1,604

$1,000 MX$17.3K

60.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 $1,367

$632 MX$11.0K

116.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,614 $2,614

$2,141 MX$37.1K

22.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

$1,253 MX$21.7K

75.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 MX$64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,381 MX$41.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,430 $2,430

$1,079 MX$18.7K

125.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

11.34

-42.50%

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

Last update for Hays, KS: April 20, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Hays, KS versus $1,000 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.

Salaries run about 125% higher in Hays, KS, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Hays, KS versus $54 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $368 in Hays, KS vs $286 in Mexico City – so Mexico City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Hays, KS vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hays, KS is pricier by about 78%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,920 per month in Hays, KS and $2,199 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 $45.00 in Hays, KS 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 29% more in Hays, KS, 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 $1,466, than in Hays, KS at $2,613. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hays, KS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Hays, KS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.