Cost of Living Comparison Between Hot Springs, AR and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Hot Springs, AR and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Hot Springs, AR vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,431 per month in Hot Springs, AR vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,335 per month in Hot Springs, AR vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Hot Springs, AR costs about 5% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hot Springs, AR and Mexico City sit above the global median – Hot Springs, AR by 14%, Mexico City by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.62 $19.62

$13.07 MX$229

50.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.1 $66.1

$53.8 MX$943

23.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.64 $9.64

$9.68 MX$170

-0.41%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$3.74 MX$65.6

35.56%

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

$2.36 $2.36

$1.62 MX$28.34

45.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.16 MX$20.37

48.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.23 MX$56.6

50.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 $6.09

$4.74 MX$83.1

28.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.65 MX$28.89

-41.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.75 MX$48.30

1.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.87 MX$32.87

54.55%

Eggs

$2.29 $2.29

$2.50 MX$43.86

-8.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.56 $7.56

$10.20 MX$179

-25.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.10 $11.10

$8.25 MX$145

34.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 $15.17

$11.82 MX$207

28.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$3.01 MX$52.8

22.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.81 MX$31.77

-10.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$2.00 MX$35.07

132.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 $3.52

$2.00 MX$35.00

76.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.08 MX$36.56

52.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.27 MX$39.85

37.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.46 MX$25.55

29.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.08 MX$18.88

43.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 $7.76

$4.35 MX$76.3

78.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.26 $19.26

$16.99 MX$298

13.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.73 MX$30.40

-0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$3.58 MX$62.7

-48.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$0.39 MX$6.79

212.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.08 $28.08

$18.69 MX$328

50.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.33 MX$23.25

49.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.28 MX$4.91

396.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.94 $19.94

$5.25 MX$92.1

279.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.34 MX$23.44

-46.27%

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

$16.7K $16.7K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

-13.98%

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

$23.0K $23.0K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

-3.56%

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

$214 $214

$40.69 MX$714

425.04%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$26.87 MX$471

115.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.61 $40.61

$30.51 MX$535

33.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.70 $34.70

$52.8 MX$926

-34.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.88 $9.88

$26.65 MX$467

-62.93%

Cinema Ticket

$12.72 $12.72

$6.51 MX$114

95.39%

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

$592 $592

$428 MX$7,508

38.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.6K $27.6K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

163.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.45 $39.45

$57.3 MX$1,004

-31.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.96 $31.96

$45.50 MX$798

-29.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 $74.2

$104 MX$1,825

-28.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.0 $81.0

$108 MX$1,891

-24.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 $602

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-40.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 $400

$623 MX$10.9K

-35.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 $1,013

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-51.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 $811

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-33.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 $1,973

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-49.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,974 $1,974

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-2.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,445 $3,445

$1,038 MX$18.2K

231.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

11.34

-43.92%

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

Last update for Hot Springs, AR: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $602 in Hot Springs, AR versus $1,003 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 232% higher in Hot Springs, AR, 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 $66.0 in Hot Springs, AR versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $292 – 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

Hot Springs, AR vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hot Springs, AR costs about 5% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,290 per month in Hot Springs, AR and $2,185 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.

Kindergarten costs $592 per month in Hot Springs, AR and $428 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Hot Springs, AR, 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 $1,456, than in Hot Springs, AR at $1,526. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hot Springs, AR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,456 versus $1,526 in Hot Springs, AR. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Hot Springs, AR makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.