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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,481 per month in Mexico City vs $2,544 in Burlington, NC, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,352 per month in Mexico City vs $3,692 in Burlington, NC, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,222 per month in Mexico City vs $4,841 in Burlington, NC, rent included.

Mexico City is about 42% cheaper than Burlington, NC, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mexico City and Burlington, NC sit above the global median – Mexico City by 11%, Burlington, NC by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 MX$229

$19.30 $19.30

-31.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$932

$73.6 $73.6

-27.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$166

$11.14 $11.14

-14.27%

Cappuccino

$3.72 MX$64.8

$5.17 $5.17

-28.05%

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

$1.57 MX$27.28

$2.61 $2.61

-39.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.12

$2.02 $2.02

-42.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.4

$6.08 $6.08

-47.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.6

$7.12 $7.12

-34.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.05 $1.05

62.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$45.54

$3.43 $3.43

-23.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.87

$4.28 $4.28

-55.84%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.17

$4.08 $4.08

-36.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 MX$172

$12.30 $12.30

-19.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 MX$143

$11.25 $11.25

-26.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 MX$205

$15.41 $15.41

-23.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MX$52.1

$5.00 $5.00

-40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.32

$1.64 $1.64

9.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.08

$4.14 $4.14

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.23

$4.77 $4.77

-58.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.05

$2.77 $2.77

-25.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.84

$2.80 $2.80

-22.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.41

$2.04 $2.04

-31.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$2.11 $2.11

-49.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MX$71.7

$9.63 $9.63

-57.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MX$303

$14.17 $14.17

22.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.16

$1.79 $1.79

-6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 MX$63.5

$3.42 $3.42

6.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$1.98 $1.98

-80.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$326

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.13

$3.59 $3.59

-62.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.27

$1.57 $1.57

-80.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 MX$95.9

$29.70 $29.70

-81.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$0.90 $0.90

45.56%

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

$19.2K MX$333.5K

$29.4K $29.4K

-34.76%

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

$23.7K MX$413.3K

$25.9K $25.9K

-8.15%

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

$41.14 MX$716

$184 $184

-77.68%

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

$27.74 MX$483

$52.5 $52.5

-47.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.13 MX$524

$67.2 $67.2

-55.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 MX$935

$43.13 $43.13

24.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$452

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 MX$113

$13.44 $13.44

-51.71%

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

$437 MX$7,598

$1,323 $1,323

-66.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.0K

$23.6K $23.6K

-55.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,015

$50.1 $50.1

16.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 MX$798

$40.63 $40.63

12.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,765

$88.0 $88.0

15.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,854

$110 $110

-3.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 MX$17.5K

$1,621 $1,621

-38.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 MX$11.0K

$1,328 $1,328

-52.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 MX$37.4K

$2,665 $2,665

-19.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MX$21.7K

$2,257 $2,257

-44.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.2K

$2,788 $2,788

38.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 MX$36.3K

$2,406 $2,406

-13.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.51

74.19%

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, NC: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,005 in Mexico City versus $1,621 in Burlington, NC. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $74.0 in Burlington, NC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $384 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,481 in Mexico City, $2,544 in Burlington, NC – roughly 72% apart. Burlington, NC costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,222 per month in Mexico City and $3,816 in Burlington, NC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,481 in Mexico City and $2,544 in Burlington, NC. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $437 per month in Mexico City and $1,323 in Burlington, NC. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,481, than in Burlington, NC at $2,544. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Burlington, NC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,481 in Mexico City to $2,544 in Burlington, NC. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Burlington, NC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.