Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Atlanta, GA

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,608 a month against $2,947 in Atlanta, GA, rent and utilities included – about $16,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Atlanta, GA, United States
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Atlanta, GA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,947
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Atlanta, GA

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 Atlanta, GA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Mexico City vs $2,947 in Atlanta, GA, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • Atlanta, GA $2,947

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Mexico City vs $4,321 in Atlanta, GA, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • Atlanta, GA $4,321

A family of three spends $3,490 per month in Mexico City vs $5,695 in Atlanta, GA, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • Atlanta, GA $5,695

Mexico City is about 45% cheaper than Atlanta, GA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Mexico City and Atlanta, GA sit above the global median – Mexico City by 18%, Atlanta, GA by 117%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Atlanta, GA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$199
$31.94 $31.94
-66.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$904
$113 $113
-57.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$193
$12.15 $12.15
-14.81%
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$69.0
$5.64 $5.64
-34.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.14
$2.89 $2.89
-42.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.65
$2.17 $2.17
-41.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$59.7
$6.52 $6.52
-51.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$99.2
$7.95 $7.95
-33.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Atlanta, GA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.23
$0.92 $0.92
86.96%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$56.8
$3.44 $3.44
-11.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.27
$3.74 $3.74
-48.13%
Eggs
$2.89 MX$54.0
$4.76 $4.76
-39.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$205
$13.96 $13.96
-21.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$173
$14.52 $14.52
-36.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$283
$19.69 $19.69
-23.16%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$57.0
$5.81 $5.81
-47.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.27
$1.44 $1.44
34.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.85
$6.08 $6.08
-66.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.25
$5.45 $5.45
-57.61%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$38.03
$3.67 $3.67
-44.41%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.63
$2.57 $2.57
-29.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.64
$2.28 $2.28
-35.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.69
$2.75 $2.75
-53.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$99.1
$9.12 $9.12
-41.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$301
$14.81 $14.81
8.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$37.06
$3.80 $3.80
-47.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.5
$5.10 $5.10
-16.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Atlanta, GA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.70
$2.44 $2.44
-87.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$369
$96.4 $96.4
-79.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.34
$3.48 $3.48
-47.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$9.97
$1.48 $1.48
-64.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$99.0
$23.92 $23.92
-77.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.23
$0.99 $0.99
52.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$406.5K
$37.0K $37.0K
-41.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$448.2K
$26.3K $26.3K
-8.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Atlanta, GA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,177
$219 $219
-71.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$512
$70.6 $70.6
-61.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$666
$84.9 $84.9
-57.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Atlanta, GA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,101
$30.53 $30.53
93.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$442
$16.12 $16.12
46.65%
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$120
$16.90 $16.90
-62.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Atlanta, GA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,065
$1,808 $1,808
-76.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$213.5K
$22.4K $22.4K
-49.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Atlanta, GA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,275
$52.3 $52.3
30.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$993
$44.16 $44.16
20.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,014
$98.2 $98.2
9.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,191
$108 $108
8.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Atlanta, GA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.8K
$1,981 $1,981
-43.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.3K
$1,369 $1,369
-48.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.4K
$3,186 $3,186
-18.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.3K
$2,070 $2,070
-32.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$67.8K
$3,592 $3,592
1.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$39.9K
$2,490 $2,490
-14.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Atlanta, GA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.7K
$5,391 $5,391
-82.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
6.51
74.35%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Atlanta, GA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
Atlanta, GA
$1.4K 92.7% $659
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
Atlanta, GA
$458 43.2% $138
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
Atlanta, GA
$428 116% $230
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
Atlanta, GA
$136 12.5% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Atlanta, GA
$374 197% $248
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Atlanta, GA
$64 10.3% $7.4
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Atlanta, GA
$117 360% $92

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,113 in Mexico City versus $1,981 in Atlanta, GA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Atlanta, GA are about 5.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Mexico City versus $113 in Atlanta, GA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $458 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇺🇸 Atlanta, GA
🕒 Local time
06:00 6:00 AM
08:00 8:00 AM
2 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
510,823
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.69 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 20.8 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Atlanta, GA 2,200 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Atlanta, GA

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 Atlanta, GA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mexico City cheaper than Atlanta, GA?
Yes – Atlanta, GA is pricier by about 83%, 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 $2,412 per month in Mexico City and $4,421 in Atlanta, GA. 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 $1,113 there versus $1,981 in Atlanta, GA.
How do food prices compare in Mexico City and in Atlanta, GA?
Groceries cost about 43% more in Atlanta, GA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Mexico City or in Atlanta, GA?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Mexico City and $113 in Atlanta, GA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city suits remote workers better?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,608 versus $2,947 in Atlanta, GA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Atlanta, GA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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