Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Angeles, CA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Angeles, CA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,578 in Los Angeles, CA versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,488 in Los Angeles, CA versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,398 in Los Angeles, CA versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Los Angeles, CA is roughly 147% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Los Angeles, CA 166% above, Mexico City 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.43 $25.43

$12.98 MX$227

95.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$52.6 MX$919

92.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.86 $13.86

$9.43 MX$165

46.98%

Cappuccino

$5.90 $5.90

$3.57 MX$62.4

65.27%

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

$2.99 $2.99

$1.61 MX$28.04

85.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.15 MX$20.16

103.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.71 $8.71

$3.15 MX$55.0

176.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.17 $10.17

$4.86 MX$84.9

109.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.70 MX$29.69

-31.18%

White Bread (500g)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.64 MX$46.03

68.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$1.90 MX$33.25

205.26%

Eggs

$7.61 $7.61

$2.54 MX$44.39

199.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$10.08 MX$176

26.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.02 $17.02

$8.29 MX$145

105.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.64 $19.64

$11.57 MX$202

69.75%

Apples (1kg)

$6.13 $6.13

$3.03 MX$52.9

102.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.71 MX$29.87

59.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.05 MX$35.79

110.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$2.06 MX$35.98

131.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.06 MX$36.06

42.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.17 MX$37.91

17.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.40 MX$24.51

33.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.12 MX$19.60

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.82 $11.82

$4.29 MX$75.0

175.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.74 $14.74

$15.41 MX$269

-4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.67 MX$29.25

56.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 $3.19

$3.69 MX$64.4

-13.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 $1.80

$0.38 MX$6.67

373.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.4 $83.4

$19.06 MX$333

337.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.38 MX$24.12

130.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$0.28 MX$4.83

503.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.67 $28.67

$5.42 MX$94.6

428.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.28 MX$22.37

2.34%

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

$31.8K $31.8K

$19.0K MX$331.6K

67.75%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$23.5K MX$409.8K

13.28%

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

$182 $182

$41.02 MX$717

344.66%

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

$67.2 $67.2

$26.92 MX$470

149.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 $69.4

$29.69 MX$519

133.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.95 $46.95

$52.3 MX$914

-10.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.42 $12.42

$26.23 MX$458

-52.65%

Cinema Ticket

$17.75 $17.75

$6.18 MX$108

187.22%

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

$1,791 $1,791

$427 MX$7,461

319.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$10.7K MX$186.9K

119.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 $62.4

$56.8 MX$993

9.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.40 $46.40

$44.83 MX$783

3.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$105 MX$1,826

-1.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 $152

$106 MX$1,851

43.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,620 $2,620

$995 MX$17.4K

163.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 $2,053

$621 MX$10.9K

230.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,480 $4,480

$2,126 MX$37.1K

110.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,712 $3,712

$1,254 MX$21.9K

196.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,209 $8,209

$3,903 MX$68.2K

110.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,195 $7,195

$2,096 MX$36.6K

243.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,511 $4,511

$1,107 MX$19.3K

307.38%

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 Angeles, CA: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,620 in Los Angeles, CA and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Angeles, CA pays 307% 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: $101 in Los Angeles, CA vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $476 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

Los Angeles, CA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 147% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Los Angeles, CA pays 307% 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: $2,620 in Los Angeles, CA versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 338% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,791 in Los Angeles, CA versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $3,578 in Los Angeles, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Los Angeles, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mexico City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Los Angeles, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 147% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.