Cost of Living Comparison Between Lincoln, NE and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Lincoln, NE and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,029 in Lincoln, NE versus $1,448 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,112 in Lincoln, NE versus $2,354 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,196 in Lincoln, NE versus $3,260 in Mexico City.

Living in Lincoln, NE is roughly 40% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lincoln, NE 52% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.17 $15.17

$12.96 MX$223

17.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 $57.2

$52.3 MX$900

9.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 $11.88

$9.69 MX$167

22.60%

Cappuccino

$4.98 $4.98

$3.75 MX$64.6

32.80%

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

$2.19 $2.19

$1.56 MX$26.91

40.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.16 MX$19.93

30.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 $5.04

$3.24 MX$55.8

55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 $5.90

$4.90 MX$84.3

20.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.70 MX$29.29

-51.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.67 MX$45.90

15.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$1.89 MX$32.49

186.77%

Eggs

$4.42 $4.42

$2.52 MX$43.37

75.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 $10.97

$10.02 MX$172

9.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.95 $10.95

$8.53 MX$147

28.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 $14.24

$11.94 MX$205

19.26%

Apples (1kg)

$6.01 $6.01

$2.97 MX$51.1

102.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.79 MX$30.88

12.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.00 MX$34.40

139.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$1.96 MX$33.74

140.82%

Potato (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$2.16 MX$37.21

98.15%

Onion (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.27 MX$39.04

49.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.40 MX$24.14

29.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.11 MX$19.18

109.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.74 $9.74

$4.20 MX$72.2

131.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.86 $16.86

$16.54 MX$285

1.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.68 MX$28.94

7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.59 MX$61.8

-8.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.39 MX$6.65

338.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.37 $29.37

$19.19 MX$330

53.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.92 $6.92

$1.38 MX$23.77

401.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$0.30 MX$5.19

506.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$5.39 MX$92.7

537.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.29 MX$22.13

-36.43%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$18.9K MX$325.1K

58.43%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$23.8K MX$409.5K

2.92%

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

$109 $109

$39.86 MX$686

173.68%

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

$49.19 $49.19

$27.83 MX$479

76.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.2 $64.2

$29.77 MX$512

115.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 $56.1

$52.0 MX$894

7.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.51 $26.51

$26.22 MX$451

1.11%

Cinema Ticket

$15.01 $15.01

$6.27 MX$108

139.39%

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

$1,078 $1,078

$433 MX$7,443

149.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$10.5K MX$181.3K

124.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.38 $49.38

$57.0 MX$981

-13.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 $34.69

$45.33 MX$780

-23.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 $86.8

$102 MX$1,753

-14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.3 $92.3

$109 MX$1,867

-14.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 $1,018

$994 MX$17.1K

2.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$835 $835

$617 MX$10.6K

35.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 $2,457

$2,086 MX$35.9K

17.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 $1,659

$1,256 MX$21.6K

32.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,882 $1,882

$3,936 MX$67.7K

-52.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,868 $1,868

$2,089 MX$35.9K

-10.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,784 $3,784

$1,131 MX$19.5K

234.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.34

-42.33%

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

Last update for Lincoln, NE: June 16, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,018 in Lincoln, NE and $994 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lincoln, NE pays 234% 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: $57.0 in Lincoln, NE vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $292 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

Lincoln, NE vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Lincoln, NE. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Lincoln, NE pays 234% 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: $1,018 in Lincoln, NE versus $994 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 $52.0 versus $57.0 in Lincoln, NE. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,029 per month in Lincoln, NE versus $1,448 in Mexico City – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,448 in Mexico City versus $2,029 in Lincoln, NE, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Lincoln, NE. 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 $1,448 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lincoln, NE 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 40% less than in Lincoln, NE. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.