Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Island, NY and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Island, NY and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,624 per month in Long Island, NY vs $1,660 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,315 per month in Long Island, NY vs $2,565 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,005 per month in Long Island, NY vs $3,470 in Mexico City, rent included.

Long Island, NY costs about 118% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Long Island, NY and Mexico City sit above the global median – Long Island, NY by 165%, Mexico City by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.86 $24.86

$11.92 MX$206

108.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$51.6 MX$890

96.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 $10.96

$11.41 MX$197

-3.94%

Cappuccino

$5.00 $5.00

$3.99 MX$68.9

25.31%

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

$2.21 $2.21

$1.66 MX$28.61

33.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.33 MX$22.87

18.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$3.47 MX$59.9

128.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$5.90 MX$102

33.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.88 MX$32.36

-29.26%

White Bread (500g)

$4.39 $4.39

$3.25 MX$56.1

35.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.16 MX$37.26

-8.33%

Eggs

$5.13 $5.13

$2.90 MX$49.94

76.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.38 $12.38

$12.86 MX$222

-3.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$10.05 MX$173

17.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.75 $16.75

$15.86 MX$273

5.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$3.29 MX$56.8

30.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.01 MX$34.60

-36.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.20 MX$37.93

-3.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$2.36 MX$40.63

112.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.05 MX$35.43

-45.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.90 MX$32.79

13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.61 MX$27.68

-4.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.40 MX$24.09

11.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.30 $11.30

$5.46 MX$94.2

106.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$17.65 MX$304

-16.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.06 MX$35.44

-17.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 $4.12

$4.68 MX$80.8

-11.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$0.34 MX$5.84

729.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$130 $130

$20.81 MX$359

525.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.10 MX$36.15

40.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.56 MX$9.64

264.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.88 $23.88

$5.81 MX$100

311.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.61 MX$27.68

-34.16%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

59.26%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

-5.56%

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

$217 $217

$65.2 MX$1,124

232.56%

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

$46.87 $46.87

$30.09 MX$519

55.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 $53.5

$37.18 MX$641

43.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.24 $31.24

$59.8 MX$1,030

-47.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$103 $103

$26.55 MX$458

289.11%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$7.04 MX$121

108.95%

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

$2,286 $2,286

$465 MX$8,012

391.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

76.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.09 $40.09

$75.9 MX$1,308

-47.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.7 $57.7

$56.0 MX$965

3.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 $77.2

$112 MX$1,929

-30.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 $154

$121 MX$2,078

27.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,632 $2,632

$1,103 MX$19.0K

138.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 $2,271

$721 MX$12.4K

215.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,705 $4,705

$2,530 MX$43.6K

85.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,556 $3,556

$1,293 MX$22.3K

174.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,332 $4,332

$3,991 MX$68.8K

8.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,315 $4,315

$2,090 MX$36.0K

106.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,938 $4,938

$1,037 MX$17.9K

376.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

11.3

-45.40%

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

Last update for Long Island, NY: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,632 in Long Island, NY versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 376% higher in Long Island, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Long Island, NY versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $345 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,624 in Long Island, NY, $1,660 in Mexico City – roughly 118% apart. Long Island, NY costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,437 per month in Long Island, NY and $2,489 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $2,286 per month in Long Island, NY and $465 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Long Island, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,660, than in Long Island, NY at $3,624. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Long Island, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Long Island, NY has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,660 in Mexico City to $3,624 in Long Island, NY. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Long Island, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.