Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Beach, CA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Beach, CA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,395 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,837 in Long Beach, CA versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,279 in Long Beach, CA versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Long Beach, CA is roughly 131% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Long Beach, CA 153% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.80 $17.80

$13.18 MX$230

35.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 $78.8

$53.9 MX$941

46.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.97 $14.97

$9.42 MX$165

58.92%

Cappuccino

$5.15 $5.15

$3.55 MX$62.0

45.07%

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

$3.01 $3.01

$1.62 MX$28.25

85.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.11 MX$19.46

99.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.23 $7.23

$3.12 MX$54.5

131.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$4.63 MX$80.9

75.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.70 MX$29.71

-34.12%

White Bread (500g)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.72 MX$47.47

58.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.91 MX$33.39

126.18%

Eggs

$3.73 $3.73

$2.54 MX$44.29

46.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 $12.12

$10.03 MX$175

20.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.93 $12.93

$8.09 MX$141

59.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.48 $15.48

$11.62 MX$203

33.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$2.97 MX$51.8

48.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.81 MX$31.55

-8.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.01 MX$35.16

93.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$2.03 MX$35.54

135.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.12 MX$37.10

40.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.27 MX$39.63

8.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.40 MX$24.45

45.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.13 MX$19.74

84.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.10 $11.10

$4.27 MX$74.6

159.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$15.56 MX$272

-1.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.76 MX$30.68

-0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$3.60 MX$62.8

-32.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.38 MX$6.69

347.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.6 $69.6

$19.18 MX$335

262.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.38 MX$24.03

111.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.38 $4.38

$0.28 MX$4.83

1464.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.24 $28.24

$5.45 MX$95.1

418.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.30 MX$22.77

-3.85%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$18.7K MX$326.4K

38.58%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$23.1K MX$404.0K

18.66%

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

$156 $156

$40.86 MX$714

280.79%

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

$54.4 $54.4

$26.81 MX$468

103.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 $58.4

$29.96 MX$523

94.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.28 $39.28

$52.0 MX$908

-24.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$469

Cinema Ticket

$15.19 $15.19

$6.30 MX$110

141.11%

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

$1,519 $1,519

$436 MX$7,617

248.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.9K $28.9K

$10.4K MX$181.9K

177.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.02 $48.02

$56.7 MX$989

-15.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.33 $33.33

$44.38 MX$775

-24.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 $98.3

$103 MX$1,798

-4.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$106 MX$1,843

-4.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,400 $2,400

$1,022 MX$17.8K

134.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,087 $2,087

$631 MX$11.0K

230.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,696 $3,696

$2,136 MX$37.3K

73.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,408 $3,408

$1,243 MX$21.7K

174.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,093 $7,093

$3,903 MX$68.2K

81.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,935 $6,935

$2,064 MX$36.1K

235.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,422 $4,422

$1,115 MX$19.5K

296.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

11.34

-43.65%

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

Last update for Long Beach, CA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,400 in Long Beach, CA and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Long Beach, CA pays 297% 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 Long Beach, CA vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 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

Long Beach, CA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Long Beach, CA and Mexico City differ by about 131% in total monthly costs ($3,395 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Long Beach, CA pays 297% 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: $2,400 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,022 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 $79.0 in Long Beach, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,395 per month in Long Beach, CA versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 131% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $3,395 in Long Beach, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Long Beach, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 131% less than in Long Beach, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.