Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medford, MA and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,608 a month against $3,087 in Medford, MA, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

149

Cost of Living Index in Medford, MA
Learn more

Medford, MA Living Index
78

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
Learn more

Mexico City Living Index

Jump to prices

Medford, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,087

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medford, MA and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medford, MA and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,087 per month in Medford, MA vs $1,608 in Mexico City, rent included.

Medford, MA $3,087
Mexico City $1,608

A couple spends around $4,233 per month in Medford, MA vs $2,549 in Mexico City, rent included.

Medford, MA $4,233
Mexico City $2,549

A family of three spends $5,378 per month in Medford, MA vs $3,490 in Mexico City, rent included.

Medford, MA $5,378
Mexico City $3,490

Medford, MA costs about 92% more than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medford, MA and Mexico City sit above the global median – Medford, MA by 127%, Mexico City by 18%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.23 $18.23

$10.62 MX$198

71.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.9 $95.9

$48.35 MX$901

98.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 $12.15

$10.35 MX$193

17.39%

Cappuccino

$5.50 $5.50

$3.69 MX$68.8

49.05%

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

$2.96 $2.96

$1.67 MX$31.07

77.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.27 MX$23.59

98.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.89 $7.89

$3.19 MX$59.5

147.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.73 $8.73

$5.31 MX$98.9

64.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.72 MX$32.15

-37.21%

White Bread (500g)

$4.00 $4.00

$3.04 MX$56.7

31.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$1.94 MX$36.19

175.77%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.89 MX$53.8

64.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.48 $11.48

$10.97 MX$205

4.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.58 $14.58

$9.25 MX$172

57.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.81 $17.81

$15.13 MX$282

17.71%

Apples (1kg)

$6.61 $6.61

$3.05 MX$56.8

116.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.94 MX$36.19

-7.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$2.03 MX$37.75

165.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$2.31 MX$43.15

139.83%

Potato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.04 MX$37.94

119.12%

Onion (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$1.80 MX$33.55

132.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.48 MX$27.58

103.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.27 MX$23.63

136.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.10 $13.10

$5.30 MX$98.9

147.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 $13.47

$16.10 MX$300

-16.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.98 MX$36.97

6.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 $4.29

$4.25 MX$79.3

0.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 $2.38

$0.31 MX$5.69

667.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 $60.0

$19.73 MX$368

204.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.84 MX$34.25

42.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$0.53 MX$9.94

233.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.34 $28.34

$5.30 MX$98.7

434.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.51 MX$28.16

-29.14%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$21.8K MX$405.5K

27.86%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$24.0K MX$447.1K

9.18%

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

$246 $246

$63.0 MX$1,174

289.85%

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

$54.9 $54.9

$27.39 MX$511

100.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$35.67 MX$665

139.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 $41.33

$58.9 MX$1,099

-29.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.64 MX$441

Cinema Ticket

$14.19 $14.19

$6.40 MX$119

121.72%

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

$1,839 $1,839

$432 MX$8,045

326.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.1K $30.1K

$11.4K MX$212.9K

163.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$68.2 MX$1,272

-15.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.42 $38.42

$53.1 MX$990

-27.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 $79.3

$108 MX$2,009

-26.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 $99.8

$117 MX$2,186

-14.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 $1,600

$1,113 MX$20.8K

43.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,639 $1,639

$710 MX$13.2K

130.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,510 $2,510

$2,588 MX$48.2K

-3.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,164 $2,164

$1,406 MX$26.2K

53.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,745 $2,745

$3,631 MX$67.7K

-24.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,408 $2,408

$2,135 MX$39.8K

12.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$946 MX$17.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

11.35

-41.50%

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

Last update for Medford, MA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medford, MA

$1.6K 53.1%

Mexico City

$710 44.2% 56.7% $929

Groceries & Markets

Medford, MA

$461 14.9%

Mexico City

$320 19.9% 30.7% $141

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medford, MA

$386 12.5%

Mexico City

$126 7.8% 67.3% $260

Eating Out

Medford, MA

$327 10.6%

Mexico City

$199 12.4% 39.3% $129

Clothing & Footwear

Medford, MA

$124 4%

Mexico City

$156 9.7% 25.8% $32

Getting Around

Medford, MA

$81 2.6%

Mexico City

$25 1.6% 68.6% $56

Sport & Entertainment

Medford, MA

$70 2.3%

Mexico City

$72 4.5% 2.9% $2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,600 in Medford, MA versus $1,113 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 $96 in Medford, MA versus $48 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $461 vs $320 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Medford, MA

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

14:50 2:50 PM

12:50 12:50 PM

2 h behind Medford, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

56,173

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

100 MXN = 5.36 USD

100 MXN = 4.82 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Medford, MA Mexico City 3,670 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Medford, MA
Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Medford, MA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medford, MA is pricier by about 92%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,631 per month in Medford, MA and $2,412 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,113 there versus $1,600 in Medford, MA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,087 in Medford, MA and $1,608 in Mexico City. That’s a gap of about 92%.

Public transport costs about 67% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,608, than in Medford, MA at $3,087. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medford, MA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Mexico City is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 92% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.