Cost of Living Comparison Between Madison, WI and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Madison, WI and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,878 per month in Madison, WI vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,195 per month in Madison, WI vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,512 per month in Madison, WI vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Madison, WI costs about 98% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Madison, WI and Mexico City sit above the global median – Madison, WI by 115%, Mexico City by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.28 $15.28

$13.07 MX$228

16.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 $74.8

$53.8 MX$936

39.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 $10.90

$9.68 MX$169

12.60%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$3.74 MX$65.1

41.71%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$1.62 MX$28.13

61.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.16 MX$20.23

101.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 $6.13

$3.23 MX$56.2

89.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.02 $7.02

$4.74 MX$82.5

48.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.65 MX$28.68

-47.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.75 MX$47.95

39.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$1.87 MX$32.63

186.10%

Eggs

$4.12 $4.12

$2.50 MX$43.54

64.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.93 $13.93

$10.20 MX$178

36.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.49 $13.49

$8.25 MX$144

63.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.70 $16.70

$11.82 MX$206

41.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.01 MX$52.4

50.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.81 MX$31.54

-15.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$2.00 MX$34.81

189.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$2.00 MX$34.74

130.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.08 MX$36.30

23.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.27 MX$39.56

30.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.46 MX$25.36

34.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.08 MX$18.74

89.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.03 $10.03

$4.35 MX$75.7

130.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.70 $15.70

$16.99 MX$296

-7.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.73 MX$30.18

38.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 $4.65

$3.58 MX$62.3

29.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.39 MX$6.74

410.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 $61.3

$18.69 MX$325

228.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.33 MX$23.08

241.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.28 MX$4.87

678.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.59 $41.59

$5.25 MX$91.5

692.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.34 MX$23.27

-34.33%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$19.4K MX$338.0K

31.00%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$23.8K MX$415.0K

6.27%

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

$214 $214

$40.69 MX$709

425.85%

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

$50.4 $50.4

$26.87 MX$468

87.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.5 $74.5

$30.51 MX$531

144.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 $63.7

$52.8 MX$919

20.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.29 $30.29

$26.65 MX$464

13.66%

Cinema Ticket

$14.88 $14.88

$6.51 MX$113

128.57%

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

$1,597 $1,597

$428 MX$7,454

273.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$10.5K MX$182.8K

132.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 $65.8

$57.3 MX$997

14.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.53 $48.53

$45.50 MX$792

6.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$104 MX$1,812

-3.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$108 MX$1,878

22.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 $1,683

$1,003 MX$17.5K

67.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 $1,442

$623 MX$10.8K

131.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,040 $3,040

$2,109 MX$36.7K

44.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,435 $2,435

$1,218 MX$21.2K

99.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,525 $4,525

$3,885 MX$67.6K

16.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,546 $2,546

$2,033 MX$35.4K

25.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,234 $4,234

$1,038 MX$18.1K

307.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

11.34

-42.24%

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

Last update for Madison, WI: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,683 in Madison, WI versus $1,003 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 308% higher in Madison, WI, 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 $75.0 in Madison, WI versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $421 vs $292 – 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

Madison, WI vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,878 in Madison, WI, $1,456 in Mexico City – roughly 98% apart. Madison, WI costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,317 per month in Madison, WI and $2,185 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.

Public transport costs about 228% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,597 per month in Madison, WI and $428 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 $1,456, than in Madison, WI at $2,878. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madison, WI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,456 in Mexico City to $2,878 in Madison, WI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Madison, WI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.