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 $1,087 per month in Los Ángeles vs $1,447 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,633 per month in Los Ángeles vs $2,310 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,179 per month in Los Ángeles vs $3,174 in Mexico City, rent included.

Los Ángeles is about 25% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Los Ángeles sits 19% below the global median, while Mexico City is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.41 CLP 7,556

$12.98 MX$223

-35.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.30 CLP 40.7K

$52.6 MX$903

-13.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 CLP 6,990

$9.43 MX$162

-17.50%

Cappuccino

$2.81 CLP 2,527

$3.57 MX$61.3

-21.29%

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

$1.35 CLP 1,217

$1.61 MX$27.55

-16.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 CLP 951

$1.15 MX$19.81

-7.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 CLP 2,919

$3.15 MX$54.0

3.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 CLP 3,770

$4.86 MX$83.4

-13.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 CLP 1,119

$1.70 MX$29.17

-26.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 CLP 1,404

$2.64 MX$45.23

-40.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 CLP 1,757

$1.90 MX$32.67

3.16%

Eggs

$3.60 CLP 3,236

$2.54 MX$43.62

41.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 CLP 9,255

$10.08 MX$173

2.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 CLP 5,975

$8.29 MX$142

-19.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.12 CLP 9,995

$11.57 MX$199

-3.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,699

$3.03 MX$52.0

-37.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,352

$1.71 MX$29.35

-12.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 CLP 1,376

$2.05 MX$35.16

-25.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 CLP 1,316

$2.06 MX$35.36

-29.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 CLP 1,111

$2.06 MX$35.43

-39.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 CLP 1,252

$2.17 MX$37.25

-35.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 CLP 1,083

$1.40 MX$24.08

-13.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,065

$1.12 MX$19.26

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.25 CLP 4,722

$4.29 MX$73.7

22.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 CLP 5,393

$15.41 MX$265

-61.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CLP 1,430

$1.67 MX$28.74

-4.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CLP 2,057

$3.69 MX$63.3

-37.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 CLP 562

$0.38 MX$6.55

65.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 422

$1.38 MX$23.70

-65.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CLP 1,238

$1.28 MX$21.98

7.81%

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

$19.2K CLP 17.3M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

1.13%

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

$21.3K CLP 19.2M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

-9.07%

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

$134 CLP 120.2K

$41.02 MX$704

225.96%

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

$13.52 CLP 12.2K

$26.92 MX$462

-49.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.06 CLP 19.8K

$29.69 MX$510

-25.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.87 CLP 34.0K

$52.3 MX$898

-27.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.68 CLP 19.5K

$26.23 MX$450

-17.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.57 CLP 5,003

$6.18 MX$106

-9.87%

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

$444 CLP 399.1K

$427 MX$7,331

3.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.92 CLP 44.9K

$56.8 MX$975

-12.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.91 CLP 27.8K

$44.83 MX$769

-31.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.0 CLP 55.7K

$105 MX$1,794

-40.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.1 CLP 72.9K

$106 MX$1,819

-23.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 CLP 429.3K

$995 MX$17.1K

-51.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 CLP 331.4K

$621 MX$10.7K

-40.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 CLP 808.9K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-57.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 CLP 533.8K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-52.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

11.34

-54.32%

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

Last update for Los Ángeles: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $478 in Los Ángeles versus $995 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 $45.00 in Los Ángeles versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $288 – 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 33% more than Los Ángeles, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,630 per month in Los Ángeles and $2,171 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Los Ángeles and $53.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $1,087, than in Mexico City at $1,447. 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 $1,087 versus $1,447 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.