Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Appleton, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,674 a month against $2,144 in Appleton, WI, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Appleton, WI, United States
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,674
/mo nomad
Appleton, WI
🇺🇸 United States
$2,144
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Appleton, WI

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

A single person spends $1,674 per month in Mexico City vs $2,144 in Appleton, WI, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,674
  • Appleton, WI $2,144

A couple spends around $2,606 per month in Mexico City vs $3,066 in Appleton, WI, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,606
  • Appleton, WI $3,066

A family of three spends $3,537 per month in Mexico City vs $3,988 in Appleton, WI, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,537
  • Appleton, WI $3,988

Mexico City is about 22% cheaper than Appleton, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Mexico City and Appleton, WI sit above the global median – Mexico City by 24%, Appleton, WI by 59%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Appleton, WI
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.59 MX$197
$17.87 $17.87
-40.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.0 MX$967
$64.1 $64.1
-18.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.73 MX$200
$10.92 $10.92
-1.74%
Cappuccino
$3.80 MX$70.6
$5.50 $5.50
-30.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 MX$30.01
$2.64 $2.64
-39.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$22.55
$2.23 $2.23
-45.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 MX$59.1
$4.52 $4.52
-29.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.44 MX$101
$6.18 $6.18
-11.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Appleton, WI
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$31.96
$1.01 $1.01
70.30%
White Bread (500g)
$2.97 MX$55.2
$3.01 $3.01
-1.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.93 MX$35.84
$5.18 $5.18
-62.74%
Eggs
$2.77 MX$51.6
$4.73 $4.73
-41.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.67 MX$217
$13.46 $13.46
-13.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.48 MX$176
$8.31 $8.31
14.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.37 MX$286
$15.28 $15.28
0.59%
Apples (1kg)
$3.10 MX$57.8
$5.01 $5.01
-38.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.96 MX$36.49
$1.36 $1.36
44.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 MX$36.88
$3.10 $3.10
-36.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.34 MX$43.46
$4.48 $4.48
-47.77%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.66
$2.05 $2.05
-1.46%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 MX$33.95
$2.68 $2.68
-32.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.54 MX$28.74
$2.07 $2.07
-25.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 MX$24.42
$2.98 $2.98
-56.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.35 MX$99.6
$10.91 $10.91
-50.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.19 MX$301
$15.18 $15.18
6.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 MX$36.46
$1.77 $1.77
10.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 MX$81.0
$3.34 $3.34
30.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Appleton, WI
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.30 MX$5.67
$1.96 $1.96
-84.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.49 MX$363
$60.1 $60.1
-67.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.92 MX$35.68
$3.27 $3.27
-41.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 MX$8.80
$1.70 $1.70
-72.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 MX$101
$24.93 $24.93
-78.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 MX$27.61
$1.02 $1.02
45.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K MX$397.7K
$35.4K $35.4K
-39.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K MX$442.1K
$25.4K $25.4K
-6.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Appleton, WI
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.0 MX$1,154
$173 $173
-64.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.47 MX$530
$44.76 $44.76
-36.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.11 MX$635
$60.5 $60.5
-43.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Appleton, WI
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.4 MX$1,087
$15.16 $15.16
285.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.50 MX$456
$41.00 $41.00
-40.24%
Cinema Ticket
$6.59 MX$123
$14.64 $14.64
-54.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Appleton, WI
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$434 MX$8,081
$1,825 $1,825
-76.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.0K MX$261.2K
$10.3K $10.3K
35.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Appleton, WI
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.4 MX$1,272
$40.75 $40.75
67.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.8 MX$1,020
$24.68 $24.68
122.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 MX$2,063
$50.2 $50.2
120.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 MX$2,158
$108 $108
7.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Appleton, WI
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,179 MX$21.9K
$1,337 $1,337
-11.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$771 MX$14.3K
$967 $967
-20.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,570 MX$47.8K
$2,394 $2,394
7.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,420 MX$26.4K
$1,374 $1,374
3.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,586 MX$66.7K
$2,423 $2,423
47.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,064 MX$38.4K
$2,038 $2,038
1.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Appleton, WI
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,003 MX$18.7K
$4,160 $4,160
-75.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
6.37
78.18%

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

Last update for Mexico City: November 1, 2026

Last update for Appleton, WI: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$771
Appleton, WI
$967 25.5% $196
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$324
Appleton, WI
$377 16.6% $54
Eating Out
Mexico City
$201
Appleton, WI
$296 47.6% $96
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$158
Appleton, WI
$101 36.2% $57
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$125
Appleton, WI
$278 124% $154
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Appleton, WI
$44 37.9% $27
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Appleton, WI
$80 219% $55

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,179 in Mexico City versus $1,337 in Appleton, WI. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Appleton, WI are about 4.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Mexico City versus $64 in Appleton, WI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $377 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇺🇸 Appleton, WI
🕒 Local time
17:16 5:16 PM
17:16 5:16 PM
Same time as Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
74,139
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.81 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.894 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Appleton, WI 2,930 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Appleton, WI

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
Mexico City vs Appleton, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mexico City cheaper than Appleton, WI?
Yes – Appleton, WI is pricier by about 28%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,510 per month in Mexico City and $3,216 in Appleton, WI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,179 there versus $1,337 in Appleton, WI.
What are total monthly expenses in Mexico City and in Appleton, WI?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,674 in Mexico City and $2,144 in Appleton, WI. That makes Mexico City about 22% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 68% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $3,000 enough for either Mexico City or Appleton, WI?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,674 in Mexico City and $2,144 in Appleton, WI, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Mexico City or Appleton, WI more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Appleton, WI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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