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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,764 per month in Los Gatos, CA vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,116 per month in Los Gatos, CA vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,467 per month in Los Gatos, CA vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

Los Gatos, CA costs about 86% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Los Gatos, CA and Mexico City sit above the global median – Los Gatos, CA by 106%, Mexico City by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.56 $30.56

$12.98 MX$227

135.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 $111

$53.1 MX$929

108.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.26 $14.26

$9.72 MX$170

46.71%

Cappuccino

$4.85 $4.85

$3.75 MX$65.6

29.33%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$1.57 MX$27.46

96.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.13 MX$19.76

98.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.02 $9.02

$3.18 MX$55.7

183.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.95 $7.95

$4.66 MX$81.6

70.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.62 MX$28.37

-11.73%

White Bread (500g)

$5.11 $5.11

$2.71 MX$47.36

88.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$1.88 MX$32.89

70.74%

Eggs

$5.50 $5.50

$2.51 MX$43.90

119.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 $13.22

$10.08 MX$176

31.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.74 $14.74

$8.29 MX$145

77.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.09 $17.09

$11.94 MX$209

43.13%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 $7.66

$2.86 MX$50.1

167.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.75 MX$30.62

28.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$2.08 MX$36.48

111.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$1.97 MX$34.46

157.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.16 MX$37.79

32.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.18 MX$38.16

59.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.39 MX$24.34

56.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.12 MX$19.69

139.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.48 $10.48

$4.20 MX$73.5

149.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$14.25 MX$249

5.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.76 MX$30.85

-2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.68 MX$64.5

6.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.39 MX$6.74

423.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.39 MX$24.26

148.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$0.30 MX$5.32

526.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.57 $30.57

$5.42 MX$94.9

464.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.35 MX$23.63

-4.44%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$18.9K MX$330.5K

28.94%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$23.2K MX$405.2K

12.22%

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

$222 $222

$40.82 MX$714

443.17%

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

$39.02 $39.02

$27.50 MX$481

41.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 $62.5

$30.38 MX$532

105.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.21 $43.21

$53.4 MX$935

-19.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$14.22 $14.22

$6.27 MX$110

126.79%

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

$1,136 $1,136

$436 MX$7,632

160.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K $24.2K

$10.5K MX$183.2K

131.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 $57.0

$56.8 MX$993

0.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.65 $40.65

$44.79 MX$784

-9.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 $94.3

$103 MX$1,799

-8.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 $79.4

$108 MX$1,888

-26.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 $1,623

$1,000 MX$17.5K

62.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,360 $1,360

$620 MX$10.9K

119.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 $2,661

$2,137 MX$37.4K

24.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 $2,251

$1,235 MX$21.6K

82.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,542 $3,542

$3,865 MX$67.6K

-8.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.34

-41.18%

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

Last update for Los Gatos, CA: April 28, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,623 in Los Gatos, CA versus $1,000 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 $111 in Los Gatos, CA versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $462 vs $286 – 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 Gatos, CA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Los Gatos, CA costs about 86% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,147 per month in Los Gatos, CA and $2,225 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $111 in Los Gatos, CA 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 62% more in Los Gatos, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,484, than in Los Gatos, CA at $2,764. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Los Gatos, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,484 versus $2,764 in Los Gatos, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Los Gatos, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.