Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Johnstown, PA and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $1,657 in Johnstown, PA, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Johnstown, PA
🇺🇸 United States
$1,657
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Johnstown, PA and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Johnstown, PA and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,657 per month in Johnstown, PA vs $1,548 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Johnstown, PA $1,657
  • Mexico City $1,548

A couple spends around $2,417 per month in Johnstown, PA vs $2,436 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Johnstown, PA $2,417
  • Mexico City $2,436

A family of three spends $3,177 per month in Johnstown, PA vs $3,323 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Johnstown, PA $3,177
  • Mexico City $3,323

Johnstown, PA costs about 7% more than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Johnstown, PA and Mexico City sit above the global median – Johnstown, PA by 22%, Mexico City by 14%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Johnstown, PA
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.58 $13.58
$11.02 MX$204
23.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.60 $39.60
$48.68 MX$900
-18.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.19 $7.19
$10.90 MX$201
-34.04%
Cappuccino
$6.34 $6.34
$3.68 MX$68.1
72.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 $2.72
$1.63 MX$30.18
66.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 $2.60
$1.25 MX$23.07
108.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 $3.93
$3.25 MX$60.1
20.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.88 $5.88
$5.53 MX$102
6.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Johnstown, PA
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 $1.23
$1.70 MX$31.50
-27.65%
White Bread (500g)
$1.39 $1.39
$3.02 MX$55.8
-53.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.50 $7.50
$1.92 MX$35.53
290.63%
Eggs
$5.32 $5.32
$2.73 MX$50.5
94.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.56 $16.56
$11.77 MX$218
40.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.65 $4.65
$9.53 MX$176
-51.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.84 $18.84
$14.41 MX$266
30.74%
Apples (1kg)
$4.91 $4.91
$3.02 MX$55.8
62.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.32 $1.32
$1.89 MX$35.01
-30.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.42 $6.42
$1.99 MX$36.70
222.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.82 $2.82
$2.19 MX$40.38
28.77%
Potato (1kg)
$0.96 $0.96
$1.92 MX$35.43
-50.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.02 $2.02
$1.87 MX$34.49
8.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.14 $2.14
$1.44 MX$26.62
48.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.71 $2.71
$1.27 MX$23.39
113.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.97 $9.97
$5.22 MX$96.4
91.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.03 $15.03
$16.17 MX$299
-7.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 $1.72
$1.90 MX$35.03
-9.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.98 $4.98
$4.22 MX$78.0
18.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Johnstown, PA
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.34 MX$6.30
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$19.65 MX$363
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.00 MX$36.90
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.52 MX$9.67
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.34 MX$98.7
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.96 $0.96
$1.52 MX$28.13
-36.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K $28.1K
$22.1K MX$408.0K
27.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$24.5K MX$452.9K
10.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Johnstown, PA
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$147 $147
$61.1 MX$1,129
141.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.88 $14.88
$28.58 MX$528
-47.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.5 $69.5
$34.47 MX$637
101.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Johnstown, PA
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.40 $36.40
$56.4 MX$1,042
-35.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$24.88 MX$460
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.26 $9.26
$6.66 MX$123
39.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Johnstown, PA
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,258 $2,258
$427 MX$7,891
428.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$60.2K $60.2K
$11.6K MX$215.0K
417.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Johnstown, PA
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.37 $47.37
$67.8 MX$1,253
-30.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.50 $36.50
$52.0 MX$960
-29.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 $108
$106 MX$1,959
1.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 $122
$113 MX$2,080
8.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Johnstown, PA
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$643 $643
$1,025 MX$18.9K
-37.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$594 $594
$654 MX$12.1K
-9.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$900 $900
$2,308 MX$42.7K
-61.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$935 $935
$1,242 MX$22.9K
-24.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$829 $829
$3,613 MX$66.8K
-77.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$836 $836
$1,936 MX$35.8K
-56.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Johnstown, PA
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,182 $2,182
$964 MX$17.8K
126.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.72
11.3
-40.53%

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

Last update for Johnstown, PA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Johnstown, PA
$594
Mexico City
$654 10.1% $60
Groceries & Markets
Johnstown, PA
$376
Mexico City
$318 15.3% $58
Eating Out
Johnstown, PA
$259
Mexico City
$204 21.3% $55
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Johnstown, PA
$232
Mexico City
$124 46.4% $108
Clothing & Footwear
Johnstown, PA
$141
Mexico City
$152 7.9% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Johnstown, PA
$55
Mexico City
$70 26.9% $15
Getting Around
Johnstown, PA
- *
Mexico City
$26

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $643 in Johnstown, PA versus $1,025 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 126% higher in Johnstown, PA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Johnstown, PA versus $49.00 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $376 in Johnstown, PA vs $318 in Mexico City – so Mexico City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Johnstown, PA
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
04:11 4:11 AM
02:11 2:11 AM
2 h behind Johnstown, PA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
22,269
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Johnstown, PA Mexico City 3,020 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Johnstown, PA
  • Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Johnstown, PA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mexico City cheaper than Johnstown, PA?
Yes – Johnstown, PA is pricier by about 7%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,485 per month in Johnstown, PA and $2,322 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Johnstown, PA and in Mexico City?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,657 in Johnstown, PA and $1,548 in Mexico City. That's a gap of about 7%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $2,258 per month in Johnstown, PA and $427 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Johnstown, PA or in Mexico City?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,548, than in Johnstown, PA at $1,657. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johnstown, PA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Johnstown, PA or Mexico City more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Johnstown, PA or Mexico City?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Johnstown, PA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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