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 $2,486 per month in Highland, CA vs $1,481 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,709 per month in Highland, CA vs $2,352 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,932 per month in Highland, CA vs $3,222 in Mexico City, rent included.

Highland, CA costs about 68% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Highland, CA and Mexico City sit above the global median – Highland, CA by 86%, Mexico City by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 $17.82

$13.16 MX$229

35.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 $80.5

$53.6 MX$932

50.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.84 $11.84

$9.55 MX$166

23.98%

Cappuccino

$5.05 $5.05

$3.72 MX$64.8

35.75%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$1.57 MX$27.28

71.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.16 MX$20.12

68.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 $7.10

$3.18 MX$55.4

123.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 $6.92

$4.63 MX$80.6

49.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.71 MX$29.67

-38.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.62 MX$45.54

51.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.89 MX$32.87

115.87%

Eggs

$3.79 $3.79

$2.60 MX$45.17

45.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 $10.53

$9.91 MX$172

6.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.71 $8.71

$8.22 MX$143

5.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 $14.63

$11.78 MX$205

24.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.00 MX$52.1

14.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.80 MX$31.32

-6.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.07 MX$36.08

94.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$1.97 MX$34.23

175.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.07 MX$36.05

51.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.17 MX$37.84

37.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.40 MX$24.41

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.07 MX$18.70

104.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.15 $11.15

$4.12 MX$71.7

170.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 $15.73

$17.42 MX$303

-9.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.68 MX$29.16

19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.65 MX$63.5

-6.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.38 MX$6.62

418.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.07 $30.07

$18.71 MX$326

60.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.73 $6.73

$1.33 MX$23.13

406.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$0.30 MX$5.27

450.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.85 $28.85

$5.51 MX$95.9

423.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.31 MX$22.72

-6.11%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$19.2K MX$333.5K

26.74%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$23.7K MX$413.3K

1.57%

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

$154 $154

$41.14 MX$716

275.21%

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

$46.40 $46.40

$27.74 MX$483

67.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 $59.2

$30.13 MX$524

96.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.54 $42.54

$53.7 MX$935

-20.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$452

Cinema Ticket

$14.17 $14.17

$6.49 MX$113

118.34%

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

$1,209 $1,209

$437 MX$7,598

176.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$10.5K MX$182.0K

127.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.57 $46.57

$58.3 MX$1,015

-20.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.78 $33.78

$45.86 MX$798

-26.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 $85.7

$101 MX$1,765

-15.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.6 $83.6

$107 MX$1,854

-21.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 $1,597

$1,005 MX$17.5K

58.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 $1,348

$634 MX$11.0K

112.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,632 $2,632

$2,148 MX$37.4K

22.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 $2,251

$1,247 MX$21.7K

80.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,348 $2,348

$3,859 MX$67.2K

-39.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,521 $2,521

$2,085 MX$36.3K

20.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

11.34

-41.98%

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

Last update for Highland, CA: July 22, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,597 in Highland, CA versus $1,005 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 $81.0 in Highland, CA versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $291 – 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: $2,486 in Highland, CA, $1,481 in Mexico City – roughly 68% apart. Highland, CA costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,729 per month in Highland, CA and $2,222 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 $81.0 in Highland, CA and $54.0 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 $2,486 in Highland, CA and $1,481 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,481, than in Highland, CA at $2,486. 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 $1,481 in Mexico City to $2,486 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.