Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Big Rapids, MI Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Big Rapids, MI

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,682 in Mexico City versus $1,925 in Big Rapids, MI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,599 in Mexico City versus $2,838 in Big Rapids, MI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,516 in Mexico City versus $3,750 in Big Rapids, MI.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 13% less than in Big Rapids, MI, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 23% above, Big Rapids, MI 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$20.14 $20.14

-41.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$59.5 $59.5

-12.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$8.02 $8.02

35.54%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$5.04 $5.04

-20.04%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$2.95 $2.95

-42.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$2.19 $2.19

-38.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$7.07 $7.07

-52.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$7.79 $7.79

-26.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$0.89 $0.89

112.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$3.36 $3.36

-5.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$2.17 $2.17

-5.53%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$3.82 $3.82

-21.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$16.88 $16.88

-25.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$13.08 $13.08

-24.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$14.64 $14.64

9.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$3.56 $3.56

-7.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$0.59 $0.59

249.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$3.47 $3.47

-39.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$4.08 $4.08

-38.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$2.41 $2.41

-14.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$2.71 $2.71

-31.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$2.38 $2.38

-34.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$1.99 $1.99

-30.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$9.89 $9.89

-45.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

$13.36 $13.36

34.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$2.24 $2.24

-9.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$2.84 $2.84

67.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

$1.96 $1.96

-81.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

$23.66 $23.66

-12.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$3.06 $3.06

-32.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

$1.52 $1.52

-63.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

$25.94 $25.94

-77.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$1.02 $1.02

50.98%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$36.1K $36.1K

-37.83%

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$24.0K $24.0K

10.29%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$198 $198

-66.68%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$58.6 $58.6

-47.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$71.9 $71.9

-49.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$41.87 $41.87

37.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$12.79 $12.79

-44.25%

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

$457 MX$7,738

$2,007 $2,007

-77.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

$20.1K $20.1K

-33.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$55.1 $55.1

37.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$35.48 $35.48

52.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$88.2 $88.2

32.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$107 $107

13.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$904 $904

26.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

$697 $697

4.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

$1,590 $1,590

57.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

$1,054 $1,054

26.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

$2,753 $2,753

41.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

$2,408 $2,408

-10.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

5.68

99.82%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Big Rapids, MI: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Mexico City and $904 in Big Rapids, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $59.0 in Big Rapids, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $372 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 Big Rapids, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,523 in Mexico City and $2,887 in Big Rapids, MI 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: $1,147 in Mexico City versus $904 in Big Rapids, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Big Rapids, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $59.0 in Big Rapids, MI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,682 in Mexico City versus $1,925 in Big Rapids, MI, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Big Rapids, MI. 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 Big Rapids, MI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Big Rapids, MI are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Big Rapids, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.