Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Cedar Rapids, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,567 a month against $2,058 in Cedar Rapids, IA, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

76

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
Learn more

Mexico City Living Index
100

Cost of Living Index in Cedar Rapids, IA
Learn more

Cedar Rapids, IA Living Index

Jump to prices

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,567

/mo nomad

Cedar Rapids, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,058

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Cedar Rapids, IA

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 Cedar Rapids, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,567 per month in Mexico City vs $2,058 in Cedar Rapids, IA, rent included.

Mexico City $1,567
Cedar Rapids, IA $2,058

A couple spends around $2,450 per month in Mexico City vs $3,080 in Cedar Rapids, IA, rent included.

Mexico City $2,450
Cedar Rapids, IA $3,080

A family of three spends $3,333 per month in Mexico City vs $4,101 in Cedar Rapids, IA, rent included.

Mexico City $3,333
Cedar Rapids, IA $4,101

Mexico City is about 24% cheaper than Cedar Rapids, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Mexico City and Cedar Rapids, IA sit above the global median – Mexico City by 16%, Cedar Rapids, IA by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.75 MX$199

$15.12 $15.12

-28.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 MX$929

$69.7 $69.7

-27.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.10 MX$205

$10.84 $10.84

2.40%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.1

$5.81 $5.81

-36.66%

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

$1.65 MX$30.42

$2.79 $2.79

-40.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 MX$24.08

$1.88 $1.88

-30.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 MX$61.3

$4.63 $4.63

-28.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.54 MX$102

$5.87 $5.87

-5.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 MX$32.68

$0.70 $0.70

152.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 MX$56.4

$2.46 $2.46

23.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 MX$37.20

$4.70 $4.70

-57.23%

Eggs

$2.77 MX$51.1

$2.52 $2.52

9.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.91 MX$220

$14.10 $14.10

-15.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.33 MX$172

$10.94 $10.94

-14.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.02 MX$278

$16.25 $16.25

-7.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 MX$56.8

$4.93 $4.93

-37.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.97

$1.10 $1.10

77.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 MX$37.54

$5.26 $5.26

-61.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 MX$40.92

$4.58 $4.58

-51.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$37.41

$2.59 $2.59

-22.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 MX$33.67

$2.22 $2.22

-18.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 MX$28.07

$2.01 $2.01

-24.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$23.65

$2.23 $2.23

-42.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.27 MX$97.4

$10.01 $10.01

-47.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.12 MX$298

$10.82 $10.82

48.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 MX$36.05

$2.18 $2.18

-10.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MX$78.6

$3.26 $3.26

30.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 MX$5.82

$1.71 $1.71

-81.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.85 MX$367

$30.20 $30.20

-34.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MX$36.93

$3.48 $3.48

-42.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.86

$1.84 $1.84

-71.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 MX$104

$45.60 $45.60

-87.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$28.07

$0.85 $0.85

78.82%

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

$21.0K MX$388.7K

$36.1K $36.1K

-41.80%

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

$25.2K MX$465.3K

$26.6K $26.6K

-5.25%

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

$62.5 MX$1,155

$208 $208

-69.89%

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

$28.77 MX$532

$52.0 $52.0

-44.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.45 MX$637

$70.2 $70.2

-50.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,055

$102 $102

-44.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.81 MX$458

$19.05 $19.05

30.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 MX$123

$12.77 $12.77

-47.77%

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

$431 MX$7,964

$893 $893

-51.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K MX$216.9K

$12.8K $12.8K

-8.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 MX$1,308

$62.5 $62.5

13.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 MX$958

$63.5 $63.5

-18.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MX$2,011

$128 $128

-14.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MX$2,076

$152 $152

-26.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 MX$19.4K

$1,141 $1,141

-7.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 MX$12.3K

$724 $724

-8.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,346 MX$43.3K

$1,637 $1,637

43.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 MX$22.7K

$1,194 $1,194

2.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,554 MX$65.7K

$1,582 $1,582

124.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,977 MX$36.5K

$1,547 $1,547

27.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$975 MX$18.0K

$3,682 $3,682

-73.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.63

70.44%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 11, 2026

Last update for Cedar Rapids, IA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$665 42.4%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$724 35.2% 8.8% $58

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$323 20.6%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$367 17.9% 13.9% $45

Eating Out

Mexico City

$203 13%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$277 13.5% 36.4% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$155 9.9%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$183 8.9% 18% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 8%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$330 16% 162% $204

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$70 4.5%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$128 6.2% 81.7% $58

Getting Around

Mexico City

$26 1.6%

Cedar Rapids, IA

$50 2.4% 92.7% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,051 in Mexico City versus $1,141 in Cedar Rapids, IA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 278% higher in Cedar Rapids, IA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Mexico City versus $70.0 in Cedar Rapids, IA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 vs $367 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇺🇸 Cedar Rapids, IA

🕒 Local time

11:45 11:45 AM

12:45 12:45 PM

1 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

137,710

💱 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 19, 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 19, 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 Cedar Rapids, IA 2,600 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Cedar Rapids, IA

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 Cedar Rapids, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cedar Rapids, IA is pricier by about 31%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,351 per month in Mexico City and $3,087 in Cedar Rapids, IA. 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.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Cedar Rapids, IA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Mexico City and $70.0 in Cedar Rapids, IA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,567, than in Cedar Rapids, IA at $2,058. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cedar Rapids, IA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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