Cost of Living Comparison Between Manhattan, KS and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Manhattan, KS and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,189 in Manhattan, KS versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Manhattan, KS versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,302 in Manhattan, KS versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Manhattan, KS is roughly 32% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manhattan, KS 60% above, Mexico City 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.94 $14.94

$11.92 MX$206

25.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 $79.4

$51.6 MX$890

53.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.84 $11.84

$11.41 MX$197

3.77%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$3.99 MX$68.9

35.59%

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

$1.98 $1.98

$1.66 MX$28.61

19.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.33 MX$22.87

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.47 MX$59.9

47.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 $7.33

$5.90 MX$102

24.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.88 MX$32.36

-59.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 $3.19

$3.25 MX$56.1

-1.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$2.16 MX$37.26

180.09%

Eggs

$4.69 $4.69

$2.90 MX$49.94

61.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.69 $11.69

$12.86 MX$222

-9.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 $9.14

$10.05 MX$173

-9.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.78 $14.78

$15.86 MX$273

-6.81%

Apples (1kg)

$6.63 $6.63

$3.29 MX$56.8

101.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.01 MX$34.60

12.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.11 $6.11

$2.20 MX$37.93

177.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.36 MX$40.63

78.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.05 MX$35.43

55.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$1.90 MX$32.79

92.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.61 MX$27.68

18.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.40 MX$24.09

81.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$5.46 MX$94.2

81.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.16 $17.16

$17.65 MX$304

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.06 MX$35.44

-15.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$4.68 MX$80.8

-47.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.7 $60.7

$20.81 MX$359

191.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.10 MX$36.15

140.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$0.56 MX$9.64

225.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.67 $34.67

$5.81 MX$100

496.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.61 MX$27.68

-47.20%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

56.05%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

-4.08%

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

$121 $121

$65.2 MX$1,124

86.33%

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

$51.6 $51.6

$30.09 MX$519

71.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 $65.4

$37.18 MX$641

75.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.9 $74.9

$59.8 MX$1,030

25.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 $15.21

$7.04 MX$121

116.05%

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

$831 $831

$465 MX$8,012

78.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K $11.6K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-12.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 $51.9

$75.9 MX$1,308

-31.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.33 $34.33

$56.0 MX$965

-38.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 $92.1

$112 MX$1,929

-17.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$121 MX$2,078

9.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 $917

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-16.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$999 $999

$721 MX$12.4K

38.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 $1,480

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-41.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 $1,405

$1,293 MX$22.3K

8.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,388 $1,388

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-65.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,412 $1,412

$2,090 MX$36.0K

-32.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,438 $3,438

$1,037 MX$17.9K

231.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

11.3

-46.64%

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

Last update for Manhattan, KS: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $917 in Manhattan, KS and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manhattan, KS pays 231% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $79.0 in Manhattan, KS vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $345 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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

Manhattan, KS vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 231% higher in Manhattan, KS, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $917 in Manhattan, KS versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $831 in Manhattan, KS versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Manhattan, KS. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,189 in Manhattan, KS, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Manhattan, KS. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mexico City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Manhattan, KS, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Manhattan, KS and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Manhattan, KS. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.