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: $3,053 in Kingston, NY versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,490 in Kingston, NY versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,928 in Kingston, NY versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Kingston, NY is roughly 84% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kingston, NY 123% above, Mexico City 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.25 $25.25

$11.92 MX$206

111.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 $79.3

$51.6 MX$890

53.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.89 $14.89

$11.41 MX$197

30.50%

Cappuccino

$6.47 $6.47

$3.99 MX$68.9

62.16%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$1.66 MX$28.61

60.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.33 MX$22.87

80.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 $7.96

$3.47 MX$59.9

129.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.79 $8.79

$5.90 MX$102

48.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.88 MX$32.36

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.62 $4.62

$3.25 MX$56.1

42.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.56 $6.56

$2.16 MX$37.26

203.70%

Eggs

$4.49 $4.49

$2.90 MX$49.94

54.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$12.86 MX$222

24.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 $10.65

$10.05 MX$173

5.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.31 $17.31

$15.86 MX$273

9.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$3.29 MX$56.8

44.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$2.01 MX$34.60

-34.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.20 MX$37.93

120.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$2.36 MX$40.63

183.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$2.05 MX$35.43

77.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.90 MX$32.79

76.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.61 MX$27.68

60.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.40 MX$24.09

36.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.69 $16.69

$5.46 MX$94.2

205.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$17.65 MX$304

-16.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.06 MX$35.44

-9.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 $3.63

$4.68 MX$80.8

-22.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.09 $2.09

$0.34 MX$5.84

514.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 $64.3

$20.81 MX$359

209.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.10 MX$36.15

39.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 $1.61

$0.56 MX$9.64

187.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.31 $33.31

$5.81 MX$100

473.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.61 MX$27.68

-47.83%

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

$31.2K $31.2K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

36.79%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

-4.21%

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

$196 $196

$65.2 MX$1,124

200.37%

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

$66.0 $66.0

$30.09 MX$519

119.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.7 $79.7

$37.18 MX$641

114.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.24 $43.24

$59.8 MX$1,030

-27.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.6 $60.6

$26.55 MX$458

128.10%

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 $15.16

$7.04 MX$121

115.34%

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

$2,453 $2,453

$465 MX$8,012

427.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

75.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.52 $49.52

$75.9 MX$1,308

-34.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.11 $29.11

$56.0 MX$965

-47.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 $82.4

$112 MX$1,929

-26.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.9 $76.9

$121 MX$2,078

-36.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,838 $1,838

$1,103 MX$19.0K

66.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,632 $1,632

$721 MX$12.4K

126.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 $3,375

$2,530 MX$43.6K

33.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,660 $2,660

$1,293 MX$22.3K

105.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,101 $3,101

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-22.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,179 $3,179

$2,090 MX$36.0K

52.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,113 $3,113

$1,037 MX$17.9K

200.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

11.3

-39.29%

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

Last update for Kingston, NY: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,838 in Kingston, NY and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kingston, NY pays 200% 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: $79.0 in Kingston, NY vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 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

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. The 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 200% higher in Kingston, NY, 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: $1,838 in Kingston, NY versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,053 per month in Kingston, NY versus $1,660 in Mexico City – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 209% less than in Kingston, NY. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $3,053 in Kingston, NY, a $3,000 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 84% less than in Kingston, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.