Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Des Moines, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
105

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index

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Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,548

/mo nomad

Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,171

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Des Moines, 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 Des Moines, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,548 in Mexico City versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA.

Mexico City $1,548
Des Moines, IA $2,171

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,436 in Mexico City versus $3,236 in Des Moines, IA.

Mexico City $2,436
Des Moines, IA $3,236

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,323 in Mexico City versus $4,301 in Des Moines, IA.

Mexico City $3,323
Des Moines, IA $4,301

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 29% less than in Des Moines, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 14% above, Des Moines, IA 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 MX$204

$19.69 $19.69

-44.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.68 MX$900

$80.8 $80.8

-39.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$201

$12.22 $12.22

-10.80%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.1

$6.16 $6.16

-40.26%

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

$1.63 MX$30.18

$2.93 $2.93

-44.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 MX$23.07

$2.56 $2.56

-51.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$60.1

$4.99 $4.99

-34.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 MX$102

$5.89 $5.89

-6.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$31.50

$0.91 $0.91

86.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 MX$55.8

$3.03 $3.03

-0.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.53

$3.38 $3.38

-43.20%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$50.5

$4.00 $4.00

-31.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.77 MX$218

$9.69 $9.69

21.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 MX$176

$9.91 $9.91

-3.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 MX$266

$13.68 $13.68

5.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$55.8

$4.33 $4.33

-30.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.01

$1.51 $1.51

25.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$36.70

$4.54 $4.54

-56.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$40.38

$3.68 $3.68

-40.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.43

$3.07 $3.07

-37.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$34.49

$2.14 $2.14

-12.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MX$26.62

$2.38 $2.38

-39.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.39

$2.19 $2.19

-42.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 MX$96.4

$7.85 $7.85

-33.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.17 MX$299

$14.79 $14.79

9.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 MX$35.03

$1.70 $1.70

11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MX$78.0

$3.09 $3.09

36.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.30

$1.73 $1.73

-80.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.65 MX$363

$58.1 $58.1

-66.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MX$36.90

$1.97 $1.97

1.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MX$9.67

$1.23 $1.23

-57.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 MX$98.7

$19.70 $19.70

-72.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$28.13

$0.93 $0.93

63.44%

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

$22.1K MX$408.0K

$27.2K $27.2K

-18.76%

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

$24.5K MX$452.9K

$25.1K $25.1K

-2.54%

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

$61.1 MX$1,129

$185 $185

-66.92%

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

$28.58 MX$528

$53.6 $53.6

-46.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.47 MX$637

$70.2 $70.2

-50.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 MX$1,042

$63.8 $63.8

-11.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.88 MX$460

$20.14 $20.14

23.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 MX$123

$9.99 $9.99

-33.33%

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

$427 MX$7,891

$1,187 $1,187

-64.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K MX$215.0K

$12.0K $12.0K

-2.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 MX$1,253

$59.5 $59.5

13.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 MX$960

$42.98 $42.98

20.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MX$1,959

$101 $101

5.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MX$2,080

$145 $145

-22.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 MX$18.9K

$1,177 $1,177

-12.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 MX$12.1K

$872 $872

-25.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,308 MX$42.7K

$1,738 $1,738

32.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 MX$22.9K

$1,394 $1,394

-10.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,613 MX$66.8K

$2,320 $2,320

55.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,936 MX$35.8K

$2,325 $2,325

-16.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$964 MX$17.8K

$3,647 $3,647

-73.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.56

72.26%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Des Moines, IA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$654 42.3%

Des Moines, IA

$872 40.2% 33.4% $218

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$318 20.6%

Des Moines, IA

$349 16.1% 9.8% $31

Eating Out

Mexico City

$204 13.2%

Des Moines, IA

$327 15.1% 60.3% $123

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$152 9.8%

Des Moines, IA

$157 7.2% 3% $4.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$124 8%

Des Moines, IA

$308 14.2% 148% $184

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$70 4.5%

Des Moines, IA

$84 3.9% 20.2% $14

Getting Around

Mexico City

$26 1.7%

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.4% 185% $48

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,025 in Mexico City and $1,177 in Des Moines, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 278% 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: $49.00 in Mexico City vs $81.0 in Des Moines, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $349 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🕒 Local time

01:48 1:48 AM

02:48 2:48 AM

1 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

214,133

💱 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 22, 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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Mexico City Des Moines, IA 2,510 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Des Moines, 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 Des Moines, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Des Moines, 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 278% lower in Des Moines, 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: $1,025 in Mexico City versus $1,177 in Des Moines, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $81.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,548 per month in Mexico City versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,548 in Mexico City versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Des Moines, 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 $1,548 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 Des Moines, 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 40% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.