Cost of Living Comparison Between Merrillville, IN and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Merrillville, IN and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,545 in Merrillville, IN versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,726 in Merrillville, IN versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,907 in Merrillville, IN versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Merrillville, IN is roughly 73% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Merrillville, IN 90% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 $18.51

$13.18 MX$230

40.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 $64.5

$53.9 MX$941

19.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.84 $9.84

$9.42 MX$165

4.46%

Cappuccino

$5.28 $5.28

$3.55 MX$62.0

48.73%

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

$3.19 $3.19

$1.62 MX$28.25

96.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.11 MX$19.46

98.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 $4.99

$3.12 MX$54.5

59.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 $7.15

$4.63 MX$80.9

54.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.70 MX$29.71

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.72 MX$47.47

27.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$1.91 MX$33.39

128.27%

Eggs

$4.23 $4.23

$2.54 MX$44.29

66.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.68 $9.68

$10.03 MX$175

-3.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.38 $12.38

$8.09 MX$141

53.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.31 $15.31

$11.62 MX$203

31.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$2.97 MX$51.8

92.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.81 MX$31.55

-37.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.01 MX$35.16

122.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$2.03 MX$35.54

132.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.12 MX$37.10

3.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.27 MX$39.63

-5.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.40 MX$24.45

35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.13 MX$19.74

133.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.45 $10.45

$4.27 MX$74.6

144.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.06 $12.06

$15.56 MX$272

-22.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.76 MX$30.68

3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.60 MX$62.8

-0.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.38 MX$6.69

418.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$335

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.38 MX$24.03

101.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 $2.21

$0.28 MX$4.83

689.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.77 $20.77

$5.45 MX$95.1

281.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.30 MX$22.77

-33.85%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$18.7K MX$326.4K

58.87%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$23.1K MX$404.0K

13.06%

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

$180 $180

$40.86 MX$714

341.39%

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

$48.69 $48.69

$26.81 MX$468

81.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.7 $64.7

$29.96 MX$523

116.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.29 $43.29

$52.0 MX$908

-16.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$469

Cinema Ticket

$14.89 $14.89

$6.30 MX$110

136.35%

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

$1,798 $1,798

$436 MX$7,617

312.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$10.4K MX$181.9K

129.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.43 $43.43

$56.7 MX$989

-23.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.26 $45.26

$44.38 MX$775

1.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 $79.8

$103 MX$1,798

-22.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$106 MX$1,843

-1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 $1,587

$1,022 MX$17.8K

55.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,365 $1,365

$631 MX$11.0K

116.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,660 $2,660

$2,136 MX$37.3K

24.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,201 $2,201

$1,243 MX$21.7K

77.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,611 $2,611

$3,903 MX$68.2K

-33.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,236 $2,236

$2,064 MX$36.1K

8.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.5K

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 Merrillville, IN: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,587 in Merrillville, IN and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $64.0 in Merrillville, IN vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 vs $288 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

Merrillville, IN vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Merrillville, IN and Mexico City differ by about 73% in total monthly costs ($2,545 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,818 in Merrillville, IN and $2,201 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,587 in Merrillville, IN versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Merrillville, IN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,545 per month in Merrillville, IN versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,545 in Merrillville, IN, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Merrillville, IN. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Merrillville, IN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.