Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Cambridge, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Cambridge, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,682 in Mexico City versus $4,426 in Cambridge, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,599 in Mexico City versus $5,677 in Cambridge, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,516 in Mexico City versus $6,927 in Cambridge, MA.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 62% less than in Cambridge, MA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 23% above, Cambridge, MA 223% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$202

$20.21 $20.21

-41.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$890

$101 $101

-48.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$185

$13.02 $13.02

-16.51%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.7

$5.24 $5.24

-23.09%

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

$1.71 MX$29.18

$2.90 $2.90

-41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.85

$2.37 $2.37

-43.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.9

$8.21 $8.21

-58.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$98.0

$8.23 $8.23

-30.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$32.20

$1.08 $1.08

75.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$54.1

$4.26 $4.26

-25.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.96

$5.98 $5.98

-65.72%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.4

$4.97 $4.97

-39.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$215

$15.13 $15.13

-16.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$170

$13.96 $13.96

-28.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$273

$18.99 $18.99

-15.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$56.0

$7.01 $7.01

-53.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.10

$1.33 $1.33

54.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.59

$5.58 $5.58

-62.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.72

$6.51 $6.51

-61.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.99

$2.50 $2.50

-18.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.91

$3.33 $3.33

-43.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.84

$1.91 $1.91

-17.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.79

$2.79 $2.79

-50.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.8

$12.67 $12.67

-57.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$306

$15.69 $15.69

14.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.54

$1.83 $1.83

10.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$81.2

$5.44 $5.44

-12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.17

$2.41 $2.41

-85.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$355

$90.1 $90.1

-76.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$35.15

$2.66 $2.66

-22.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.61

$1.78 $1.78

-68.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$99.2

$28.10 $28.10

-79.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.22

$1.03 $1.03

49.51%

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

$22.5K MX$383.1K

$35.9K $35.9K

-37.37%

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

$26.5K MX$451.7K

$25.3K $25.3K

4.61%

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

$66.0 MX$1,125

$179 $179

-63.24%

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

$30.98 MX$528

$43.14 $43.14

-28.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$617

$52.9 $52.9

-31.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$981

$73.6 $73.6

-21.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$456

$29.78 $29.78

-10.17%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$122

$14.90 $14.90

-52.15%

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

$457 MX$7,789

$2,898 $2,898

-84.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$226.0K

$36.0K $36.0K

-63.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,293

$79.6 $79.6

-4.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$923

$50.6 $50.6

7.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,987

$102 $102

14.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,076

$139 $139

-12.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.6K

$3,424 $3,424

-66.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.4K

$2,851 $2,851

-74.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.7K

$5,354 $5,354

-53.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.7K

$3,491 $3,491

-61.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.4K

$4,997 $4,997

-22.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.7K

$4,931 $4,931

-56.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.2K

$6,179 $6,179

-82.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

6.05

87.60%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Cambridge, MA: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Mexico City and $3,424 in Cambridge, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge, MA pays 478% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $101 in Cambridge, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $474 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 Cambridge, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 163% lower than in Cambridge, MA. 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 478% lower in Cambridge, MA. 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: $1,147 in Mexico City versus $3,424 in Cambridge, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Cambridge, MA. 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 $101 in Cambridge, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,682 in Mexico City versus $4,426 in Cambridge, MA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Cambridge, MA. 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 $1,682 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 Cambridge, MA 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 163% less than in Cambridge, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.