Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Bethel, AK

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $2,380 in Bethel, AK, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Bethel, AK
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Bethel, AK Living Index

Jump to prices

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,548

/mo nomad

Bethel, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,380

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Bethel, AK

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 Bethel, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,548 in Mexico City versus $2,380 in Bethel, AK.

Mexico City $1,548
Bethel, AK $2,380

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,436 in Mexico City versus $3,720 in Bethel, AK.

Mexico City $2,436
Bethel, AK $3,720

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,323 in Mexico City versus $5,060 in Bethel, AK.

Mexico City $3,323
Bethel, AK $5,060

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 35% less than in Bethel, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 14% above, Bethel, AK 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 MX$204

$19.36 $19.36

-43.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.68 MX$900

$70.7 $70.7

-31.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$201

$11.78 $11.78

-7.47%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.1

$4.91 $4.91

-25.05%

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

$1.63 MX$30.18

$2.49 $2.49

-34.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 MX$23.07

$2.16 $2.16

-42.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$60.1

$6.60 $6.60

-50.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 MX$102

$6.31 $6.31

-12.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$31.50

$0.97 $0.97

75.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 MX$55.8

$3.94 $3.94

-23.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.53

$4.74 $4.74

-59.49%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$50.5

$4.35 $4.35

-37.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.77 MX$218

$11.54 $11.54

1.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 MX$176

$13.23 $13.23

-27.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 MX$266

$18.29 $18.29

-21.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$55.8

$5.62 $5.62

-46.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.01

$1.42 $1.42

33.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$36.70

$4.08 $4.08

-51.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$40.38

$5.14 $5.14

-57.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.43

$3.14 $3.14

-38.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$34.49

$2.64 $2.64

-29.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MX$26.62

$2.45 $2.45

-41.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.39

$1.95 $1.95

-34.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 MX$96.4

$8.64 $8.64

-39.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.17 MX$299

$13.68 $13.68

18.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 MX$35.03

$2.06 $2.06

-7.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MX$78.0

$3.48 $3.48

21.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.30

$1.83 $1.83

-81.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.65 MX$363

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MX$36.90

$2.82 $2.82

-29.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MX$9.67

$1.99 $1.99

-73.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 MX$98.7

$28.49 $28.49

-81.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$28.13

$1.00 $1.00

52.00%

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

$22.1K MX$408.0K

$26.0K $26.0K

-15.05%

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

$24.5K MX$452.9K

$27.2K $27.2K

-9.97%

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

$61.1 MX$1,129

$175 $175

-65.08%

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

$28.58 MX$528

$53.8 $53.8

-46.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.47 MX$637

$72.5 $72.5

-52.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 MX$1,042

$43.66 $43.66

29.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.88 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 MX$123

$15.58 $15.58

-57.25%

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

$427 MX$7,891

$1,600 $1,600

-73.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K MX$215.0K

$21.0K $21.0K

-44.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 MX$1,253

$53.8 $53.8

25.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 MX$960

$41.07 $41.07

26.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MX$1,959

$95.3 $95.3

11.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MX$2,080

$123 $123

-8.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 MX$18.9K

$1,742 $1,742

-41.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 MX$12.1K

$1,117 $1,117

-41.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,308 MX$42.7K

$2,259 $2,259

2.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 MX$22.9K

$2,265 $2,265

-45.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,613 MX$66.8K

$3,049 $3,049

18.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,936 MX$35.8K

$2,332 $2,332

-17.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$964 MX$17.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.57

71.99%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Bethel, AK: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$654 42.3%

Bethel, AK

$1.1K 46.9% 70.7% $463

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$318 20.6%

Bethel, AK

$412 17.3% 29.6% $94

Eating Out

Mexico City

$204 13.2%

Bethel, AK

$313 13.2% 53.7% $110

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$152 9.8%

Bethel, AK

$141 5.9% 7.3% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$124 8%

Bethel, AK

$301 12.7% 143% $177

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$70 4.5%

Bethel, AK

$75 3.1% 7.3% $5.1

Getting Around

Mexico City

$26 1.7%

Bethel, AK

$20 * 0.8% 21.6% $5.5

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,025 in Mexico City and $1,742 in Bethel, AK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Mexico City vs $71.0 in Bethel, AK for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $412 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇺🇸 Bethel, AK

🕒 Local time

05:42 5:42 AM

03:42 3:42 AM

2 h behind Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

6,300

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mexico City Bethel, AK 6,660 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Bethel, AK

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 Bethel, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Bethel, AK differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($1,548 vs $2,380 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,322 in Mexico City and $3,570 in Bethel, AK 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: $1,025 in Mexico City versus $1,742 in Bethel, AK. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Bethel, AK. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,548 per month in Mexico City versus $2,380 in Bethel, AK – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,548 in Mexico City versus $2,380 in Bethel, AK, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Bethel, AK. 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 54% less than in Bethel, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.