Cost of Living Comparison Between Houghton, MI and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Houghton, MI and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,494 in Houghton, MI versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,605 in Houghton, MI versus $2,342 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,716 in Houghton, MI versus $3,199 in Mexico City.

Living in Houghton, MI is roughly 68% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Houghton, MI 85% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.77 $12.77

$13.29 MX$231

-3.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.89 $39.89

$53.8 MX$933

-25.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.17 $10.17

$9.29 MX$161

9.47%

Cappuccino

$4.08 $4.08

$3.61 MX$62.6

13.02%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$1.56 MX$27.03

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.12 MX$19.46

39.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$3.13 MX$54.3

90.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.71 MX$81.7

46.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.70 MX$29.54

-35.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.77 MX$48.03

29.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$1.96 MX$34.05

128.57%

Eggs

$4.07 $4.07

$2.60 MX$45.21

56.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.41 $12.41

$9.94 MX$173

24.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.49 $11.49

$8.10 MX$141

41.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 $15.28

$11.50 MX$200

32.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$2.87 MX$49.84

75.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.73 MX$30.07

-9.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.00 MX$34.73

118.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$2.04 MX$35.38

136.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.08 MX$36.14

32.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.20 MX$38.12

27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.45 MX$25.24

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.07 MX$18.63

103.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.32 $9.32

$4.27 MX$74.2

118.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$14.32 MX$249

5.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.76 MX$30.62

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.70 MX$64.2

-7.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.35 MX$6.12

460.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$333

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.34 MX$23.18

160.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$0.28 MX$4.83

467.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 $28.62

$5.33 MX$92.6

436.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.34 MX$23.27

-37.31%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$19.1K MX$332.0K

57.44%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$23.9K MX$414.5K

9.16%

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

$186 $186

$39.86 MX$692

366.21%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$26.78 MX$465

99.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 $66.7

$29.36 MX$510

127.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.63 $42.63

$53.4 MX$927

-20.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.09 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$13.27 $13.27

$6.40 MX$111

107.34%

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

$1,322 $1,322

$440 MX$7,647

200.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$10.8K MX$186.6K

116.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 $51.8

$57.6 MX$1,000

-10.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.51 $40.51

$45.02 MX$781

-10.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$104 MX$1,801

-16.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$108 MX$1,874

1.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 $1,612

$1,013 MX$17.6K

59.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 $1,340

$630 MX$10.9K

112.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,600 $2,600

$2,162 MX$37.5K

20.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,266 $2,266

$1,222 MX$21.2K

85.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,552 $1,552

$3,793 MX$65.8K

-59.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 $1,586

$2,332 MX$40.5K

-31.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,606 $2,606

$1,075 MX$18.7K

142.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.34

-42.59%

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

Last update for Houghton, MI: April 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Houghton, MI and $1,013 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houghton, MI pays 142% 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: $40 in Houghton, MI vs $54 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $392 vs $285, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

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

Houghton, MI vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Houghton, MI pays 142% 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: $1,612 in Houghton, MI versus $1,013 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Houghton, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,494 per month in Houghton, MI versus $1,484 in Mexico City – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,494 in Houghton, MI, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Houghton, MI. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mexico City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Houghton, MI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Houghton, MI 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 68% less than in Houghton, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.