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: $2,577 in Houston, MO versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,720 in Houston, MO versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,863 in Houston, MO versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Houston, MO is roughly 77% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Houston, MO 93% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.13 $12.13

$13.07 MX$228

-7.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.3 $86.3

$53.8 MX$936

60.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.12 $11.12

$9.68 MX$169

14.88%

Cappuccino

$5.62 $5.62

$3.74 MX$65.1

50.27%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$1.62 MX$28.13

62.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.16 MX$20.23

82.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 $6.03

$3.23 MX$56.2

86.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.59 $6.59

$4.74 MX$82.5

39.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.65 MX$28.68

-32.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.75 MX$47.95

18.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.42 $6.42

$1.87 MX$32.63

243.32%

Eggs

$4.87 $4.87

$2.50 MX$43.54

94.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.46 $18.46

$10.20 MX$178

80.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.51 $16.51

$8.25 MX$144

100.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$11.82 MX$206

40.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.01 MX$52.4

51.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.81 MX$31.54

-25.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.00 MX$34.81

73.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.00 MX$34.74

36.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.08 MX$36.30

15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.27 MX$39.56

12.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.46 MX$25.36

24.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.08 MX$18.74

149.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.11 $10.11

$4.35 MX$75.7

132.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$16.99 MX$296

-13.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.73 MX$30.18

6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.58 MX$62.3

-12.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.39 MX$6.74

407.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.33 MX$23.08

155.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$0.28 MX$4.87

467.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.43 $29.43

$5.25 MX$91.5

460.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.34 MX$23.27

-43.28%

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

$31.5K $31.5K

$19.4K MX$338.0K

62.29%

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

$33.8K $33.8K

$23.8K MX$415.0K

41.83%

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

$195 $195

$40.69 MX$709

379.31%

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

$49.02 $49.02

$26.87 MX$468

82.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.8 $50.8

$30.51 MX$531

66.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.42 $43.42

$52.8 MX$919

-17.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$15.22 $15.22

$6.51 MX$113

133.79%

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

$1,303 $1,303

$428 MX$7,454

204.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$10.5K MX$182.8K

120.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.82 $46.82

$57.3 MX$997

-18.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.94 $38.94

$45.50 MX$792

-14.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.5 $68.5

$104 MX$1,812

-34.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 $70.5

$108 MX$1,878

-34.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 $1,583

$1,003 MX$17.5K

57.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 $1,363

$623 MX$10.8K

118.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,591 $2,591

$2,109 MX$36.7K

22.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,219 $2,219

$1,218 MX$21.2K

82.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,355 $2,355

$3,885 MX$67.6K

-39.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,097 $2,097

$2,033 MX$35.4K

3.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

11.34

-42.15%

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

Last update for Houston, MO: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,583 in Houston, MO and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $86.0 in Houston, MO vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $432 vs $292 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,865 in Houston, MO and $2,185 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: $1,583 in Houston, MO versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,303 in Houston, MO versus $428 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 $54.0 versus $86.0 in Houston, MO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $2,577 in Houston, MO, a $2,000 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 77% less than in Houston, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.