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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,989 per month in Highland, CA vs $1,646 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,417 per month in Highland, CA vs $2,613 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,844 per month in Highland, CA vs $3,580 in Mexico City, rent included.

Highland, CA costs about 82% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Highland, CA and Mexico City sit above the global median – Highland, CA by 118%, Mexico City by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.33 $25.33

$12.11 MX$204

109.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.5 $98.5

$52.2 MX$881

88.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.90 $14.90

$10.90 MX$184

36.70%

Cappuccino

$5.84 $5.84

$4.05 MX$68.4

44.20%

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

$3.85 $3.85

$1.72 MX$28.95

123.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.38 MX$23.25

119.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 $8.09

$3.47 MX$58.5

133.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.83 $11.83

$5.81 MX$98.1

103.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.85 MX$31.28

-21.08%

White Bread (500g)

$4.77 $4.77

$3.22 MX$54.4

48.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.18 $7.18

$2.09 MX$35.20

243.54%

Eggs

$5.13 $5.13

$2.91 MX$49.10

76.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.14 $19.14

$12.49 MX$211

53.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.86 $14.86

$10.11 MX$171

46.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.01 $22.01

$15.89 MX$268

38.51%

Apples (1kg)

$8.18 $8.18

$3.31 MX$56.0

147.13%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$2.13 MX$35.90

51.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$2.19 MX$36.97

192.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.67 $9.67

$2.45 MX$41.31

294.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.19 MX$36.95

29.22%

Onion (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$1.90 MX$32.15

161.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.52 $3.52

$1.62 MX$27.26

117.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.35 MX$22.78

105.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.67 $11.67

$5.43 MX$91.6

114.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.25 $16.25

$17.59 MX$297

-7.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.07 MX$34.90

11.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.75 MX$80.1

-4.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.34 MX$5.74

502.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.34 $30.34

$21.58 MX$364

40.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.04 MX$34.44

45.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 $2.44

$0.58 MX$9.75

320.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.2 $59.2

$5.97 MX$101

892.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.62 MX$27.27

-11.11%

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

$37.7K $37.7K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

65.15%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.7K MX$450.0K

-4.42%

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

$249 $249

$65.2 MX$1,101

281.96%

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

$74.5 $74.5

$29.87 MX$504

149.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 $70.1

$36.55 MX$617

91.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.10 $42.10

$61.0 MX$1,030

-30.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$13.76 $13.76

$6.85 MX$116

100.88%

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

$1,420 $1,420

$453 MX$7,652

213.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.6K $36.6K

$13.4K MX$225.7K

173.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.5 $86.5

$75.0 MX$1,265

15.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.61 $46.61

$55.3 MX$933

-15.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 $79.1

$114 MX$1,917

-30.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$123 MX$2,070

5.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,703 $1,703

$1,134 MX$19.1K

50.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 $1,188

$712 MX$12.0K

66.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,746 $2,746

$2,571 MX$43.4K

6.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,159 $2,159

$1,311 MX$22.1K

64.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,057 $3,057

$3,993 MX$67.4K

-23.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,234 $2,234

$2,095 MX$35.4K

6.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

11.3

-44.78%

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

Last update for Highland, CA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,703 in Highland, CA 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 $98.0 in Highland, CA versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $562 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,989 in Highland, CA, $1,646 in Mexico City – roughly 82% apart. Highland, CA costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,484 per month in Highland, CA 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 $98.0 in Highland, CA and $52.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,989 in Highland, CA and $1,646 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,646, than in Highland, CA at $2,989. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Highland, CA 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 $2,989 in Highland, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Highland, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.