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 $2,853 per month in Madison, WI vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,198 per month in Madison, WI vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,543 per month in Madison, WI vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Madison, WI costs about 94% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Madison, WI and Mexico City sit above the global median – Madison, WI by 113%, Mexico City by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.06 $15.06

$13.18 MX$228

14.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 $73.6

$53.9 MX$932

36.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.10 $11.10

$9.42 MX$163

17.83%

Cappuccino

$5.27 $5.27

$3.55 MX$61.4

48.45%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$1.62 MX$27.98

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.11 MX$19.27

112.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 $6.02

$3.12 MX$54.0

92.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$4.63 MX$80.1

55.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.70 MX$29.43

-45.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.72 MX$47.02

36.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$1.91 MX$33.07

177.49%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$2.54 MX$43.86

63.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.13 $14.13

$10.03 MX$174

40.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.41 $13.41

$8.09 MX$140

65.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.57 $16.57

$11.62 MX$201

42.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$2.97 MX$51.3

51.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.81 MX$31.24

-18.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$2.01 MX$34.82

195.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$2.03 MX$35.20

126.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.12 MX$36.75

23.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.27 MX$39.25

33.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.40 MX$24.22

43.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.13 MX$19.55

71.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 $9.96

$4.27 MX$73.9

133.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.91 $15.91

$15.56 MX$269

2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.76 MX$30.39

35.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 $4.84

$3.60 MX$62.2

34.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.38 MX$6.62

410.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 $63.2

$19.18 MX$332

229.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 $4.47

$1.38 MX$23.79

223.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.28 MX$4.78

657.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.43 $41.43

$5.45 MX$94.2

660.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.30 MX$22.55

-30.77%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

32.50%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

10.90%

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

$218 $218

$40.86 MX$707

434.48%

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

$51.6 $51.6

$26.81 MX$464

92.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.5 $74.5

$29.96 MX$518

148.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 $64.6

$52.0 MX$900

24.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.67 $29.67

$26.84 MX$464

10.54%

Cinema Ticket

$14.90 $14.90

$6.30 MX$109

136.51%

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

$1,603 $1,603

$436 MX$7,544

267.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

135.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 $67.5

$56.7 MX$980

19.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.40 $48.40

$44.38 MX$768

9.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 $99.7

$103 MX$1,780

-3.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$106 MX$1,825

27.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,022 MX$17.7K

64.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,437 $1,437

$631 MX$10.9K

127.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,065 $3,065

$2,136 MX$36.9K

43.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,486 $2,486

$1,243 MX$21.5K

100.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,465 $4,465

$3,903 MX$67.5K

14.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,484 $2,484

$2,064 MX$35.7K

20.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,518 $4,518

$1,115 MX$19.3K

305.20%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,678 in Madison, WI versus $1,022 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 305% 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 $74.0 in Madison, WI versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 vs $288 – 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: $2,853 in Madison, WI, $1,467 in Mexico City – roughly 94% apart. Madison, WI costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,280 per month in Madison, WI and $2,201 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 229% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,603 per month in Madison, WI and $436 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 $1,467, than in Madison, WI at $2,853. 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 $1,467 in Mexico City to $2,853 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.