Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Burlington, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Burlington, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,481 in Mexico City versus $1,788 in Burlington, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,352 in Mexico City versus $2,657 in Burlington, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,222 in Mexico City versus $3,526 in Burlington, IA.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 17% less than in Burlington, IA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Burlington, IA 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 MX$229

$11.51 $11.51

14.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$932

$59.9 $59.9

-10.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$166

$8.91 $8.91

7.18%

Cappuccino

$3.72 MX$64.8

$5.53 $5.53

-32.73%

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

$1.57 MX$27.28

$1.96 $1.96

-19.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.12

$2.03 $2.03

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.4

$3.44 $3.44

-7.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.6

$4.48 $4.48

3.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.82 $0.82

108.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$45.54

$2.65 $2.65

-1.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.87

$8.23 $8.23

-77.04%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.17

$3.03 $3.03

-14.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 MX$172

$14.77 $14.77

-32.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 MX$143

$12.88 $12.88

-36.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 MX$205

$15.19 $15.19

-22.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MX$52.1

$4.86 $4.86

-38.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.32

$1.89 $1.89

-4.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.08

$4.74 $4.74

-56.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.23

$5.07 $5.07

-61.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.05

$3.00 $3.00

-31.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.84

$2.38 $2.38

-8.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.41

$1.80 $1.80

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$2.50 $2.50

-57.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MX$71.7

$9.22 $9.22

-55.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MX$303

$12.06 $12.06

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.16

$1.70 $1.70

-1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 MX$63.5

$3.95 $3.95

-7.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$1.65 $1.65

-76.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$326

$20.33 $20.33

-7.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.13

$3.59 $3.59

-62.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.27

$1.60 $1.60

-81.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 MX$95.9

$29.03 $29.03

-81.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$0.94 $0.94

39.36%

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

$19.2K MX$333.5K

$22.9K $22.9K

-16.32%

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

$23.7K MX$413.3K

$24.1K $24.1K

-1.55%

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

$41.14 MX$716

$173 $173

-76.28%

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

$27.74 MX$483

$52.4 $52.4

-47.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.13 MX$524

$50.4 $50.4

-40.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 MX$935

$50.6 $50.6

6.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$452

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 MX$113

$11.05 $11.05

-41.27%

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

$437 MX$7,598

$715 $715

-38.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.0K

$23.3K $23.3K

-55.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,015

$44.04 $44.04

32.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 MX$798

$30.60 $30.60

49.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,765

$67.7 $67.7

49.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,854

$37.41 $37.41

184.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 MX$17.5K

$629 $629

59.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 MX$11.0K

$662 $662

-4.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 MX$37.4K

$1,053 $1,053

104.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MX$21.7K

$1,186 $1,186

5.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.2K

$1,043 $1,043

269.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 MX$36.3K

$1,018 $1,018

104.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MX$18.7K

$4,416 $4,416

-75.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.52

73.93%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Last update for Burlington, IA: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,005 in Mexico City and $629 in Burlington, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burlington, IA pays 312% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $60.0 in Burlington, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $405 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 Burlington, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Burlington, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 312% lower in Burlington, IA. 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: $1,005 in Mexico City versus $629 in Burlington, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $437 in Mexico City versus $715 in Burlington, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Burlington, IA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,481 in Mexico City versus $1,788 in Burlington, IA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Burlington, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,481 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Burlington, IA 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 21% less than in Burlington, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.