Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilsan and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilsan and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,417 in Ilsan versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,307 in Ilsan versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,198 in Ilsan versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Ilsan costs roughly 15% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ilsan 3% above, Mexico City 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.30 ₩9,802

$12.14 MX$206

-39.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 ₩90.8K

$53.9 MX$916

25.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 ₩9,849

$11.09 MX$188

-33.81%

Cappuccino

$4.19 ₩5,626

$4.10 MX$69.6

2.20%

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

$1.65 ₩2,213

$1.68 MX$28.57

-1.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₩1,023

$1.39 MX$23.58

-45.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 ₩4,918

$3.33 MX$56.6

10.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₩7,928

$5.88 MX$99.9

0.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ₩2,825

$1.85 MX$31.45

13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 ₩4,192

$3.17 MX$53.9

-1.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ₩3,008

$2.07 MX$35.18

8.21%

Eggs

$3.22 ₩4,320

$2.93 MX$49.74

9.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.55 ₩20.9K

$12.59 MX$214

23.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 ₩10.2K

$10.11 MX$172

-25.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.35 ₩15.2K

$16.09 MX$273

-29.46%

Apples (1kg)

$7.73 ₩10.4K

$3.39 MX$57.6

128.02%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 ₩4,216

$2.08 MX$35.31

50.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.82 ₩7,807

$2.12 MX$36.02

174.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.29 ₩8,437

$2.41 MX$41.01

161.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.41 ₩4,572

$2.13 MX$36.17

60.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 ₩3,281

$2.01 MX$34.07

21.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 ₩2,786

$1.55 MX$26.25

34.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₩1,440

$1.36 MX$23.19

-21.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 ₩4,527

$5.77 MX$98.0

-41.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.68 ₩25.1K

$17.74 MX$301

5.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₩3,066

$2.07 MX$35.16

10.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ₩4,222

$4.61 MX$78.4

-31.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,505

$0.37 MX$6.21

202.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.03 ₩65.8K

$21.18 MX$360

131.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₩4,666

$2.05 MX$34.89

69.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ₩875

$0.58 MX$9.80

12.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.85 ₩11.9K

$6.07 MX$103

45.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ₩1,878

$1.55 MX$26.38

-9.68%

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

$29.8K ₩40.0M

$22.9K MX$388.6K

30.15%

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

$28.3K ₩38.0M

$27.2K MX$462.7K

4.05%

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

$208 ₩278.8K

$67.4 MX$1,145

208.20%

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

$35.68 ₩47.9K

$30.62 MX$520

16.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.07 ₩26.9K

$37.24 MX$633

-46.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 ₩76.0K

$61.5 MX$1,044

-7.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.13 ₩16.3K

$27.12 MX$461

-55.27%

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 ₩15.1K

$7.11 MX$121

57.81%

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

$576 ₩773.3K

$456 MX$7,750

26.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ₩23.9M

$13.7K MX$232.6K

30.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ₩77.3K

$74.2 MX$1,260

-22.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.06 ₩43.0K

$57.0 MX$969

-43.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 ₩95.2K

$115 MX$1,961

-38.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.5 ₩108.0K

$122 MX$2,064

-33.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 ₩604.1K

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-60.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 ₩462.3K

$709 MX$12.1K

-51.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 ₩1.5M

$2,577 MX$43.8K

-57.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ₩885.5K

$1,295 MX$22.0K

-49.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,303 ₩9.8M

$4,005 MX$68.0K

82.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,955 ₩8.0M

$2,130 MX$36.2K

179.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,506 ₩4.7M

$1,082 MX$18.4K

224.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.1

11.3

-63.72%

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

Last update for Ilsan: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $450 in Ilsan and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 224% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Ilsan vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 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

Ilsan vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ilsan is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 224% higher in Ilsan, 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: $450 in Ilsan versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,417 per month in Ilsan versus $1,677 in Mexico City – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ilsan runs roughly 131% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,417 in Ilsan versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ilsan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ilsan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Ilsan 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 Ilsan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.