Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston, NY and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston, NY and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,958 in Kingston, NY versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,287 in Kingston, NY versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,616 in Kingston, NY versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Kingston, NY is roughly 102% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kingston, NY 121% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 $17.45

$13.18 MX$228

32.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 $73.6

$53.9 MX$934

36.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.56 $11.56

$9.42 MX$163

22.72%

Cappuccino

$5.76 $5.76

$3.55 MX$61.5

62.25%

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

$2.58 $2.58

$1.62 MX$28.03

59.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.11 MX$19.31

116.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$3.12 MX$54.1

158.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.41 $9.41

$4.63 MX$80.2

103.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.70 MX$29.48

-40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.72 MX$47.10

55.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.84 $6.84

$1.91 MX$33.13

258.12%

Eggs

$5.21 $5.21

$2.54 MX$43.94

105.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$10.03 MX$174

88.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 $11.78

$8.09 MX$140

45.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.39 $19.39

$11.62 MX$201

66.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$2.97 MX$51.4

72.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.81 MX$31.30

-31.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$2.01 MX$34.88

131.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.20 $7.20

$2.03 MX$35.26

254.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.12 MX$36.82

35.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.27 MX$39.32

64.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.40 MX$24.26

57.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.13 MX$19.59

76.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.15 $17.15

$4.27 MX$74.0

301.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 $13.11

$15.56 MX$270

-15.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.76 MX$30.44

5.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$3.60 MX$62.3

1.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.38 MX$6.64

423.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.4 $64.4

$19.18 MX$332

235.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.38 MX$23.84

150.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.28 MX$4.79

471.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.25 $29.25

$5.45 MX$94.4

436.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.30 MX$22.60

-26.92%

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

$31.8K $31.8K

$18.7K MX$323.8K

70.15%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$23.1K MX$400.8K

11.22%

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

$186 $186

$40.86 MX$708

355.92%

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

$66.0 $66.0

$26.81 MX$465

146.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.8 $79.8

$29.96 MX$519

166.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.88 $42.88

$52.0 MX$901

-17.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.68 $24.68

$26.84 MX$465

-8.05%

Cinema Ticket

$14.98 $14.98

$6.30 MX$109

137.78%

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

$2,475 $2,475

$436 MX$7,558

467.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$10.4K MX$180.5K

124.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.92 $42.92

$56.7 MX$982

-24.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.40 $29.40

$44.38 MX$769

-33.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 $72.0

$103 MX$1,784

-30.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 $77.6

$106 MX$1,829

-26.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 $1,802

$1,022 MX$17.7K

76.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,640 $1,640

$631 MX$10.9K

159.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,185 $3,185

$2,136 MX$37.0K

49.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,647 $2,647

$1,243 MX$21.5K

113.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,125 $3,125

$3,903 MX$67.6K

-19.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,210 $3,210

$2,064 MX$35.8K

55.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,054 $3,054

$1,115 MX$19.3K

173.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.08

11.34

-37.57%

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

Last update for Kingston, NY: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,802 in Kingston, NY and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston, NY pays 174% 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: $74.0 in Kingston, NY vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $454 vs $288 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

Kingston, NY vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Kingston, NY pays 174% more on average, 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: $1,802 in Kingston, NY versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,958 per month in Kingston, NY versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 236% less than in Kingston, NY. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,958 in Kingston, NY, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Kingston, NY. 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 Kingston, NY, 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 102% less than in Kingston, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.