Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Apple Valley, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Apple Valley, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $2,591 in Apple Valley, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $3,679 in Apple Valley, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $4,766 in Apple Valley, CA.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 43% less than in Apple Valley, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Apple Valley, CA 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$20.13 $20.13

-34.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$47.40 $47.40

12.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$11.16 $11.16

-16.40%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$4.90 $4.90

-24.49%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$2.43 $2.43

-34.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$1.96 $1.96

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$6.07 $6.07

-48.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$7.58 $7.58

-36.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.05 $1.05

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$3.60 $3.60

-24.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$4.45 $4.45

-57.08%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$4.32 $4.32

-40.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$12.43 $12.43

-21.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$11.31 $11.31

-25.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$15.44 $15.44

-22.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$5.02 $5.02

-41.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.59 $1.59

9.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$4.31 $4.31

-52.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$4.80 $4.80

-57.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$2.85 $2.85

-24.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$2.78 $2.78

-18.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$2.00 $2.00

-30.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$2.19 $2.19

-48.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$9.73 $9.73

-56.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$13.28 $13.28

31.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.79 $1.79

-4.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$3.28 $3.28

10.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$1.96 $1.96

-82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$3.60 $3.60

-61.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.64 $1.64

-82.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$29.62 $29.62

-82.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.86 $0.86

58.14%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$29.2K $29.2K

-34.63%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$25.8K $25.8K

-8.68%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$187 $187

-78.34%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$52.4 $52.4

-47.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$68.8 $68.8

-55.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$43.60 $43.60

19.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$13.31 $13.31

-53.49%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$1,281 $1,281

-66.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$23.7K $23.7K

-54.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$50.4 $50.4

15.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$40.25 $40.25

10.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$85.9 $85.9

20.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$111 $111

-2.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$1,631 $1,631

-37.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$1,337 $1,337

-53.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$2,622 $2,622

-19.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$2,242 $2,242

-45.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$2,747 $2,747

38.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$2,329 $2,329

-9.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$5,701 $5,701

-81.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.51

74.19%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Apple Valley, CA: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $1,631 in Apple Valley, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Apple Valley, CA pays 442% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $47.00 in Apple Valley, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $388, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

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

Mexico City vs Apple Valley, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 76% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 442% lower in Apple Valley, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $1,631 in Apple Valley, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $1,281 in Apple Valley, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $47.00 in Apple Valley, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $2,591 in Apple Valley, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Apple Valley, CA. 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 Apple Valley, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Apple Valley, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.