Cost of Living Comparison Between Houston, MO and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Houston, MO and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,671 in Houston, MO versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,970 in Houston, MO versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,268 in Houston, MO versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Houston, MO is roughly 62% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Houston, MO 94% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.71 $17.71

$12.11 MX$205

46.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.7 $77.7

$52.2 MX$883

48.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.83 $11.83

$10.90 MX$184

8.53%

Cappuccino

$5.23 $5.23

$4.05 MX$68.5

29.14%

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

$2.50 $2.50

$1.72 MX$29.00

45.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.38 MX$23.29

21.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.66 $5.66

$3.47 MX$58.6

63.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 $6.90

$5.81 MX$98.2

18.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.85 MX$31.33

-31.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.22 MX$54.5

19.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$2.09 MX$35.25

184.21%

Eggs

$4.01 $4.01

$2.91 MX$49.18

37.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.15 $13.15

$12.49 MX$211

5.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.69 $15.69

$10.11 MX$171

55.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.79 $20.79

$15.89 MX$269

30.84%

Apples (1kg)

$8.47 $8.47

$3.31 MX$56.0

155.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.13 MX$35.95

9.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$2.19 MX$37.03

155.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$2.45 MX$41.37

110.61%

Potato (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$2.19 MX$37.00

94.06%

Onion (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$1.90 MX$32.20

156.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.62 MX$27.31

75.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.35 MX$22.82

114.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.93 $7.93

$5.43 MX$91.7

46.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$17.59 MX$297

-13.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.07 MX$34.96

36.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 $3.39

$4.75 MX$80.2

-28.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.83 $1.83

$0.34 MX$5.75

438.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.04 MX$34.49

76.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.58 MX$9.77

163.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.77 $40.77

$5.97 MX$101

582.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.62 MX$27.31

-45.68%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$22.8K MX$385.6K

56.01%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$26.7K MX$450.7K

-5.50%

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

$247 $247

$65.2 MX$1,103

278.80%

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

$69.9 $69.9

$29.87 MX$505

134.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.3 $75.3

$36.55 MX$618

105.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.25 $43.25

$61.0 MX$1,031

-29.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$13.93 $13.93

$6.85 MX$116

103.36%

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

$1,410 $1,410

$453 MX$7,664

211.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K $24.2K

$13.4K MX$226.0K

81.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 $59.7

$75.0 MX$1,267

-20.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.36 $43.36

$55.3 MX$935

-21.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 $88.0

$114 MX$1,920

-22.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$123 MX$2,073

-3.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,354 $1,354

$1,134 MX$19.2K

19.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,315 $1,315

$712 MX$12.0K

84.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,474 $2,474

$2,571 MX$43.5K

-3.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,124 $2,124

$1,311 MX$22.2K

61.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,441 $2,441

$3,993 MX$67.5K

-38.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,345 $2,345

$2,095 MX$35.4K

11.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.09

11.3

-46.11%

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

Last update for Houston, MO: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,354 in Houston, MO and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Houston, MO vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $496 vs $345 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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

Houston, MO vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,007 in Houston, MO and $2,469 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,354 in Houston, MO versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,410 in Houston, MO versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $78.0 in Houston, MO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $2,671 in Houston, MO, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Houston, MO. 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 Houston, MO, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Houston, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.