Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Armstrong Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Armstrong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,433 in Armstrong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,342 in Mexico City versus $3,470 in Armstrong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,199 in Mexico City versus $4,506 in Armstrong.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 39% less than in Armstrong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 10% above, Armstrong 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.29 MX$231

$22.21 CA$30.42

-40.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$933

$71.0 CA$97.3

-24.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 MX$161

$10.95 CA$15.00

-15.16%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$3.70 CA$5.07

-2.43%

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

$1.56 MX$27.03

$2.62 CA$3.59

-40.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.46

$1.91 CA$2.62

-41.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 MX$54.3

$5.98 CA$8.19

-47.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 MX$81.7

$6.64 CA$9.10

-29.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.54

$2.78 CA$3.81

-38.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 MX$48.03

$2.54 CA$3.48

9.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.05

$3.40 CA$4.66

-42.35%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.21

$3.82 CA$5.23

-31.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 MX$173

$9.94 CA$13.62

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 MX$141

$10.60 CA$14.52

-23.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.50 MX$200

$15.82 CA$21.68

-27.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MX$49.84

$3.84 CA$5.27

-25.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.07

$1.72 CA$2.36

0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.73

$4.01 CA$5.50

-50.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$4.08 CA$5.58

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.14

$2.65 CA$3.64

-21.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 MX$38.12

$2.22 CA$3.05

-0.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.24

$2.83 CA$3.87

-48.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.75 CA$2.40

-38.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.2

$13.37 CA$18.32

-68.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 MX$249

$13.25 CA$18.15

8.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.62

$3.47 CA$4.76

-49.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 MX$64.2

$3.85 CA$5.28

-3.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.12

$2.33 CA$3.20

-84.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$333

$63.3 CA$86.7

-69.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 MX$23.18

$2.49 CA$3.41

-46.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.83

$1.66 CA$2.28

-83.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MX$92.6

$12.76 CA$17.48

-58.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.27 CA$1.74

5.51%

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

$19.1K MX$332.0K

$24.9K CA$34.2K

-23.33%

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

$23.9K MX$414.5K

$20.0K CA$27.4K

19.31%

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

$39.86 MX$692

$163 CA$224

-75.61%

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

$26.78 MX$465

$45.14 CA$61.8

-40.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.36 MX$510

$63.6 CA$87.1

-53.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$927

$41.94 CA$57.5

27.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.09 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$111

$10.66 CA$14.60

-39.96%

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

$440 MX$7,647

$444 CA$609

-0.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K MX$186.6K

$4,116 CA$5,639

161.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 MX$1,000

$60.8 CA$83.3

-5.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.02 MX$781

$39.10 CA$53.6

15.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,801

$81.8 CA$112

26.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,874

$78.4 CA$107

37.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 MX$17.6K

$1,313 CA$1,798

-22.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MX$10.9K

$1,169 CA$1,601

-46.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,162 MX$37.5K

$2,028 CA$2,778

6.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 MX$21.2K

$1,823 CA$2,497

-32.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,793 MX$65.8K

$4,275 CA$5,856

-11.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.5K

$3,225 CA$4,419

-27.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 MX$18.7K

$1,096 CA$1,501

-1.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.36

78.30%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 11, 2026

Last update for Armstrong: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,013 in Mexico City and $1,313 in Armstrong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Armstrong pays 2% 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 in Mexico City vs $71 in Armstrong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $375 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

Mexico City vs Armstrong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Armstrong earns 2% less. 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: $1,013 in Mexico City versus $1,313 in Armstrong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 230% less than in Armstrong. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $440 in Mexico City versus $444 in Armstrong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,433 in Armstrong, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Armstrong. 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 Armstrong, 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 64% less than in Armstrong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.