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: $2,541 in Houghton, MI versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,613 in Houghton, MI versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,686 in Houghton, MI versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Houghton, MI is roughly 74% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Houghton, MI 90% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 $13.16

$13.07 MX$228

0.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.31 $39.31

$53.8 MX$936

-26.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.01 $10.01

$9.68 MX$169

3.41%

Cappuccino

$4.09 $4.09

$3.74 MX$65.1

9.36%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$1.62 MX$28.13

64.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.16 MX$20.23

34.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 $5.93

$3.23 MX$56.2

83.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 $6.97

$4.74 MX$82.5

47.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.65 MX$28.68

-34.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.75 MX$47.95

27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$1.87 MX$32.63

129.41%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$2.50 MX$43.54

64.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.48 $12.48

$10.20 MX$178

22.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.34 $11.34

$8.25 MX$144

37.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.62 $15.62

$11.82 MX$206

32.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$3.01 MX$52.4

64.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.81 MX$31.54

-13.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.00 MX$34.81

118.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$2.00 MX$34.74

132.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.08 MX$36.30

37.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.27 MX$39.56

26.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.46 MX$25.36

38.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.08 MX$18.74

100.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.63 $9.63

$4.35 MX$75.7

121.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 $15.17

$16.99 MX$296

-10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.73 MX$30.18

3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.58 MX$62.3

-5.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.39 MX$6.74

415.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.33 MX$23.08

161.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$0.28 MX$4.87

467.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.10 $29.10

$5.25 MX$91.5

454.29%

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)

$29.2K $29.2K

$19.4K MX$338.0K

50.36%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$23.8K MX$415.0K

5.49%

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

$188 $188

$40.69 MX$709

362.57%

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

$52.3 $52.3

$26.87 MX$468

94.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$30.51 MX$531

126.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.21 $43.21

$52.8 MX$919

-18.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$13.77 $13.77

$6.51 MX$113

111.52%

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

$1,304 $1,304

$428 MX$7,454

204.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$10.5K MX$182.8K

126.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 $51.5

$57.3 MX$997

-10.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 $40.33

$45.50 MX$792

-11.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$104 MX$1,812

-17.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$108 MX$1,878

5.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 $1,585

$1,003 MX$17.5K

57.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,360 $1,360

$623 MX$10.8K

118.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,594 $2,594

$2,109 MX$36.7K

23.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,211 $2,211

$1,218 MX$21.2K

81.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,591 $1,591

$3,885 MX$67.6K

-59.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,540 $1,540

$2,033 MX$35.4K

-24.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,610 $2,610

$1,038 MX$18.1K

151.46%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,585 in Houghton, MI and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houghton, MI pays 151% 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: $39.00 in Houghton, MI vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $390 vs $292, 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 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 151% higher in Houghton, MI, 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: $1,585 in Houghton, MI versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Houghton, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,541 per month in Houghton, MI versus $1,456 in Mexico City – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $2,541 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 74% less than in Houghton, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.