Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Alamos, NM and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Alamos, NM and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,500 per month in Los Alamos, NM vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,623 per month in Los Alamos, NM vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,747 per month in Los Alamos, NM vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Los Alamos, NM costs about 70% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Los Alamos, NM and Mexico City sit above the global median – Los Alamos, NM by 87%, Mexico City by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.21 $17.21

$13.18 MX$228

30.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 $58.9

$53.9 MX$934

9.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 $10.11

$9.42 MX$163

7.32%

Cappuccino

$5.34 $5.34

$3.55 MX$61.5

50.42%

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

$2.28 $2.28

$1.62 MX$28.03

40.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.11 MX$19.31

31.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 $5.94

$3.12 MX$54.1

90.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 $5.85

$4.63 MX$80.2

26.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.70 MX$29.48

-48.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.72 MX$47.10

-17.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$1.91 MX$33.13

68.59%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$2.54 MX$43.94

61.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 $12.61

$10.03 MX$174

25.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.18 $10.18

$8.09 MX$140

25.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.60 $17.60

$11.62 MX$201

51.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$2.97 MX$51.4

59.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.81 MX$31.30

-23.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.01 MX$34.88

49.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.03 MX$35.26

115.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$2.12 MX$36.82

-46.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.27 MX$39.32

7.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.40 MX$24.26

37.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 $0.48

$1.13 MX$19.59

-57.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$4.27 MX$74.0

131.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.93 $13.93

$15.56 MX$270

-10.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.76 MX$30.44

1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$3.60 MX$62.3

-23.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.38 MX$6.64

439.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 $3.39

$1.38 MX$23.84

145.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$0.28 MX$4.79

571.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.95 $28.95

$5.45 MX$94.4

431.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.30 MX$22.60

-39.23%

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

$31.3K $31.3K

$18.7K MX$323.8K

67.42%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$23.1K MX$400.8K

10.36%

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

$170 $170

$40.86 MX$708

315.12%

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

$40.70 $40.70

$26.81 MX$465

51.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 $68.7

$29.96 MX$519

129.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.60 $43.60

$52.0 MX$901

-16.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

Cinema Ticket

$13.98 $13.98

$6.30 MX$109

121.90%

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

$1,222 $1,222

$436 MX$7,558

180.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,997 $5,997

$10.4K MX$180.5K

-42.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.18 $20.18

$56.7 MX$982

-64.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$44.38 MX$769

13.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 $96.1

$103 MX$1,784

-6.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$106 MX$1,829

7.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 $1,110

$1,022 MX$17.7K

8.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 $1,359

$631 MX$10.9K

115.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,918 $1,918

$2,136 MX$37.0K

-10.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,259 $2,259

$1,243 MX$21.5K

81.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,375 $3,375

$3,903 MX$67.6K

-13.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,377 $3,377

$2,064 MX$35.8K

63.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,240 $8,240

$1,115 MX$19.3K

638.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

11.34

-42.77%

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

Last update for Los Alamos, NM: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,110 in Los Alamos, NM versus $1,022 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 639% higher in Los Alamos, NM, 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 $59.0 in Los Alamos, NM versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $288 – 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

Los Alamos, NM vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Los Alamos, NM is pricier by about 70%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,750 per month in Los Alamos, NM and $2,201 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,500 in Los Alamos, NM and $1,467 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,222 per month in Los Alamos, NM and $436 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,467, than in Los Alamos, NM at $2,500. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Los Alamos, NM it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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