Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Ángeles and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Ángeles and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $960 per month in Los Ángeles vs $1,660 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,424 per month in Los Ángeles vs $2,565 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,889 per month in Los Ángeles vs $3,470 in Mexico City, rent included.

Los Ángeles is about 42% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Los Ángeles sits 30% below the global median, while Mexico City is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.72 CLP 12.1K

$11.92 MX$206

6.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.62 CLP 25.4K

$51.6 MX$890

-48.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.28 CLP 9,812

$11.41 MX$197

-9.90%

Cappuccino

$2.08 CLP 1,984

$3.99 MX$68.9

-47.87%

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

$1.53 CLP 1,463

$1.66 MX$28.61

-7.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 CLP 1,453

$1.33 MX$22.87

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 CLP 2,455

$3.47 MX$59.9

-25.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CLP 2,909

$5.90 MX$102

-48.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 CLP 1,179

$1.88 MX$32.36

-34.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 CLP 2,664

$3.25 MX$56.1

-14.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 CLP 2,849

$2.16 MX$37.26

38.43%

Eggs

$4.51 CLP 4,302

$2.90 MX$49.94

55.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 CLP 8,199

$12.86 MX$222

-33.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.96 CLP 10.5K

$10.05 MX$173

9.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.37 CLP 13.7K

$15.86 MX$273

-9.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 CLP 2,596

$3.29 MX$56.8

-17.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,553

$2.01 MX$34.60

-18.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 CLP 2,663

$2.20 MX$37.93

26.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 CLP 2,201

$2.36 MX$40.63

-2.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,510

$2.05 MX$35.43

-22.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 CLP 1,629

$1.90 MX$32.79

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 CLP 1,404

$1.61 MX$27.68

-8.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,117

$1.40 MX$24.09

-16.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.71 CLP 5,451

$5.46 MX$94.2

4.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.52 CLP 4,312

$17.65 MX$304

-74.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 CLP 967

$2.06 MX$35.44

-50.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 CLP 509

$0.34 MX$5.84

55.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 CLP 1,940

$2.10 MX$36.15

-3.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CLP 1,240

$1.61 MX$27.68

-19.25%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

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

$127 CLP 121.1K

$65.2 MX$1,124

94.77%

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

$30.09 MX$519

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.72 CLP 19.8K

$37.18 MX$641

-44.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.7 CLP 78.0K

$59.8 MX$1,030

36.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.42 CLP 9,944

$26.55 MX$458

-60.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 CLP 4,176

$7.04 MX$121

-37.78%

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

$465 MX$8,012

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 CLP 271.1K

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-74.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 CLP 217.2K

$721 MX$12.4K

-68.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 CLP 438.2K

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-81.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 CLP 337.6K

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-72.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Los Ángeles: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Los Ángeles 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Los Ángeles versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $282 vs $345 – making Los Ángeles 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 Ángeles vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 73% more than Los Ángeles, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,439 per month in Los Ángeles 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 Los Ángeles, 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 $960 in Los Ángeles and $1,660 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Los Ángeles, where all-in costs run around $960, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Los Ángeles it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Los Ángeles costs $960 versus $1,660 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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