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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,466 in Mexico City versus $2,077 in Des Moines, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,325 in Mexico City versus $3,127 in Des Moines, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,184 in Mexico City versus $4,176 in Des Moines, IA.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 29% less than in Des Moines, IA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Des Moines, IA 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 MX$231

$15.83 $15.83

-15.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$932

$78.5 $78.5

-31.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$11.96 $11.96

-21.24%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$4.90 $4.90

-26.73%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$2.31 $2.31

-29.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$1.92 $1.92

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$5.14 $5.14

-36.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 MX$80.6

$6.94 $6.94

-33.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.98 $0.98

67.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$46.00

$2.43 $2.43

9.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.99

$2.23 $2.23

-12.11%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.08

$3.65 $3.65

-30.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 MX$173

$12.83 $12.83

-22.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 MX$145

$10.59 $10.59

-20.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 MX$205

$12.72 $12.72

-7.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.62

$4.59 $4.59

-37.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.05

$1.49 $1.49

16.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.50

$3.77 $3.77

-47.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.51

$3.45 $3.45

-40.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.68 $1.68

22.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 MX$39.54

$2.95 $2.95

-22.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.05

$2.31 $2.31

-37.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.83

$1.13 $1.13

-3.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$6.98 $6.98

-38.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 MX$254

$14.86 $14.86

-1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.58

$1.68 $1.68

4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MX$61.8

$3.95 $3.95

-9.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.67

$1.80 $1.80

-78.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

$57.7 $57.7

-67.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.09

$1.96 $1.96

-29.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.26

$1.26 $1.26

-76.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$93.8

$19.93 $19.93

-72.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.22

$0.82 $0.82

63.41%

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

$18.9K MX$326.7K

$26.5K $26.5K

-28.84%

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

$23.2K MX$402.0K

$24.9K $24.9K

-6.72%

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

$40.30 MX$698

$148 $148

-72.71%

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

$27.15 MX$471

$50.3 $50.3

-46.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$510

$52.8 $52.8

-44.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 MX$914

$67.9 $67.9

-22.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

$20.01 $20.01

30.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$107

$15.07 $15.07

-58.99%

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

$441 MX$7,637

$1,391 $1,391

-68.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.4K

$11.9K $11.9K

-10.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 MX$992

$52.9 $52.9

8.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.04 MX$781

$42.50 $42.50

5.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,793

$73.9 $73.9

40.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,884

$124 $124

-12.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.3K

$1,209 $1,209

-17.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 MX$11.0K

$897 $897

-29.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 MX$37.1K

$1,788 $1,788

19.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 MX$21.7K

$1,514 $1,514

-17.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 MX$64.9K

$2,334 $2,334

60.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,381 MX$41.3K

$2,352 $2,352

1.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.7K

$3,564 $3,564

-69.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.5

74.46%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Last update for Des Moines, IA: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $1,209 in Des Moines, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 230% 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 in Mexico City vs $79 in Des Moines, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $331 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 Des Moines, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 42% 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, Des Moines, IA earns 230% less. 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $1,209 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 $54.0 versus $79.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,466 per month in Mexico City versus $2,077 in Des Moines, IA – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,466 in Mexico City versus $2,077 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 $1,466 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 42% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.