Cost of Living Comparison Between Lexington, KY and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Lexington, KY and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,299 in Lexington, KY versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,366 in Lexington, KY versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,434 in Lexington, KY versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Lexington, KY is roughly 56% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lexington, KY 73% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.78 $14.78

$13.14 MX$229

12.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 $69.3

$53.5 MX$934

29.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 $10.16

$9.33 MX$163

8.90%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$3.70 MX$64.5

37.30%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$1.60 MX$27.98

38.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.12 MX$19.49

61.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 $4.86

$3.14 MX$54.7

54.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 $7.90

$4.85 MX$84.5

62.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.65 MX$28.84

-53.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.71 MX$47.34

10.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$1.91 MX$33.29

139.27%

Eggs

$3.33 $3.33

$2.59 MX$45.17

28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 $12.86

$9.81 MX$171

31.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.28 $11.28

$8.43 MX$147

33.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.39 $16.39

$11.93 MX$208

37.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$2.95 MX$51.5

54.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.74 MX$30.35

-25.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.04 MX$35.66

75.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.06 MX$35.93

116.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.15 MX$37.49

53.02%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.26 MX$39.33

40.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.39 MX$24.17

46.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.12 MX$19.47

66.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.77 $7.77

$4.22 MX$73.6

84.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.04 $13.04

$17.51 MX$305

-25.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.71 MX$29.82

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.63 MX$63.4

-10.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.35 MX$6.15

191.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.97 $29.97

$19.32 MX$337

55.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 $5.07

$1.38 MX$24.00

267.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.28 MX$4.81

492.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.56 $29.56

$5.28 MX$92.0

459.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.36 MX$23.69

-41.18%

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

$22.9K $22.9K

$19.1K MX$333.2K

19.98%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$23.6K MX$411.7K

9.01%

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

$210 $210

$40.53 MX$707

418.68%

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

$70.4 $70.4

$27.38 MX$478

156.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.4 $67.4

$30.38 MX$530

121.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.43 $34.43

$52.2 MX$911

-34.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.05 $30.05

$26.48 MX$462

13.48%

Cinema Ticket

$15.10 $15.10

$6.19 MX$108

143.94%

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

$1,153 $1,153

$425 MX$7,414

171.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K $25.2K

$10.7K MX$187.2K

134.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 $59.6

$58.3 MX$1,017

2.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.54 $34.54

$44.57 MX$777

-22.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$103 MX$1,805

0.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 $160

$109 MX$1,897

46.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 $1,111

$1,014 MX$17.7K

9.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 $1,039

$623 MX$10.9K

66.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,121 $2,121

$2,119 MX$37.0K

0.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 $1,725

$1,223 MX$21.3K

41.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,085 $2,085

$3,792 MX$66.1K

-45.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,042 $2,042

$2,110 MX$36.8K

-3.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,058 $4,058

$1,052 MX$18.4K

285.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.34

-41.18%

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

Last update for Lexington, KY: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,111 in Lexington, KY and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lexington, KY pays 286% 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: $69.0 in Lexington, KY vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 vs $293 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

Lexington, KY vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 56% lower than in Lexington, KY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 286% higher in Lexington, KY, 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: $1,111 in Lexington, KY versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $69.0 in Lexington, KY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,299 per month in Lexington, KY versus $1,472 in Mexico City – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $2,299 in Lexington, KY, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Lexington, KY. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,472 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lexington, KY 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Lexington, KY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.