Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Edwardsville, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $2,709 in Edwardsville, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Edwardsville, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,709
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Edwardsville, IL

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 Edwardsville, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,548 per month in Mexico City vs $2,709 in Edwardsville, IL, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,548
  • Edwardsville, IL $2,709

A couple spends around $2,436 per month in Mexico City vs $3,793 in Edwardsville, IL, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,436
  • Edwardsville, IL $3,793

A family of three spends $3,323 per month in Mexico City vs $4,877 in Edwardsville, IL, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,323
  • Edwardsville, IL $4,877

Mexico City is about 43% cheaper than Edwardsville, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Mexico City and Edwardsville, IL sit above the global median – Mexico City by 14%, Edwardsville, IL by 100%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.02 MX$204
$21.46 $21.46
-48.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.68 MX$900
$66.4 $66.4
-26.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.90 MX$201
$11.60 $11.60
-6.03%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.1
$5.07 $5.07
-27.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 MX$30.18
$2.84 $2.84
-42.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 MX$23.07
$1.99 $1.99
-37.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.25 MX$60.1
$5.41 $5.41
-39.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.53 MX$102
$7.62 $7.62
-27.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$31.50
$0.99 $0.99
71.72%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$3.35 $3.35
-9.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.53
$4.66 $4.66
-58.80%
Eggs
$2.73 MX$50.5
$4.54 $4.54
-39.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.77 MX$218
$11.73 $11.73
0.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 MX$176
$12.06 $12.06
-20.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.41 MX$266
$14.58 $14.58
-1.17%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$4.32 $4.32
-30.09%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.01
$1.77 $1.77
6.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.70
$3.97 $3.97
-49.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$40.38
$4.47 $4.47
-51.01%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.43
$3.08 $3.08
-37.66%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 MX$34.49
$2.76 $2.76
-32.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 MX$26.62
$2.41 $2.41
-40.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.39
$2.11 $2.11
-39.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22 MX$96.4
$9.04 $9.04
-42.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.17 MX$299
$16.27 $16.27
-0.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 MX$35.03
$1.87 $1.87
1.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 MX$78.0
$3.73 $3.73
13.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 MX$6.30
$1.97 $1.97
-82.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.65 MX$363
$101 $101
-80.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.00 MX$36.90
$3.35 $3.35
-40.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 MX$9.67
$1.87 $1.87
-72.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.34 MX$98.7
$29.51 $29.51
-81.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$28.13
$0.98 $0.98
55.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1K MX$408.0K
$29.9K $29.9K
-26.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K MX$452.9K
$25.2K $25.2K
-2.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.1 MX$1,129
$196 $196
-68.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.58 MX$528
$57.4 $57.4
-50.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.47 MX$637
$69.6 $69.6
-50.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,042
$41.56 $41.56
35.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.88 MX$460
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.66 MX$123
$15.46 $15.46
-56.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$427 MX$7,891
$1,426 $1,426
-70.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K MX$215.0K
$24.9K $24.9K
-53.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.8 MX$1,253
$52.1 $52.1
30.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.0 MX$960
$41.41 $41.41
25.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 MX$1,959
$89.3 $89.3
18.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 MX$2,080
$116 $116
-3.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,025 MX$18.9K
$1,824 $1,824
-43.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$654 MX$12.1K
$1,340 $1,340
-51.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,308 MX$42.7K
$2,366 $2,366
-2.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,242 MX$22.9K
$1,919 $1,919
-35.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,613 MX$66.8K
$3,030 $3,030
19.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,936 MX$35.8K
$2,373 $2,373
-18.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$964 MX$17.8K
$4,962 $4,962
-80.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
6.57
71.99%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Edwardsville, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$654
Edwardsville, IL
$1.3K 105% $685
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$318
Edwardsville, IL
$389 22.3% $71
Eating Out
Mexico City
$204
Edwardsville, IL
$329 61.4% $125
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$152
Edwardsville, IL
$135 11.5% $18
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$124
Edwardsville, IL
$323 160% $199
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$70
Edwardsville, IL
$72 4% $2.8
Getting Around
Mexico City
$26
Edwardsville, IL
$122 374% $96

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,025 in Mexico City versus $1,824 in Edwardsville, IL. 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 415% higher in Edwardsville, IL, 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 $49.00 in Mexico City versus $66.0 in Edwardsville, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $389 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇺🇸 Edwardsville, IL
🕒 Local time
03:15 3:15 AM
04:15 4:15 AM
1 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
26,808
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 25, 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 25, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Edwardsville, IL 2,330 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Edwardsville, IL

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 Edwardsville, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Edwardsville, IL cheaper than Mexico City?
Yes – Edwardsville, IL is pricier by about 75%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,322 per month in Mexico City and $4,064 in Edwardsville, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Mexico City and in Edwardsville, IL?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,548 in Mexico City and $2,709 in Edwardsville, IL. That's a gap of about 75%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 414% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Mexico City or in Edwardsville, IL?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,548, than in Edwardsville, IL at $2,709. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edwardsville, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Mexico City or Edwardsville, IL more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Mexico City or Edwardsville, IL?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Edwardsville, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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