Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Elk Grove, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $4,216 in Elk Grove, CA, rent and utilities included – about $32,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
Learn more

Mexico City Living Index
205

Cost of Living Index in Elk Grove, CA
Learn more

Elk Grove, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,548

/mo nomad

Elk Grove, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,216

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Elk Grove, CA

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 Elk Grove, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,548 in Mexico City versus $4,216 in Elk Grove, CA.

Mexico City $1,548
Elk Grove, CA $4,216

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,436 in Mexico City versus $6,106 in Elk Grove, CA.

Mexico City $2,436
Elk Grove, CA $6,106

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,323 in Mexico City versus $7,995 in Elk Grove, CA.

Mexico City $3,323
Elk Grove, CA $7,995

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 63% less than in Elk Grove, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 14% above, Elk Grove, CA 211% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 MX$204

$22.18 $22.18

-50.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.68 MX$900

$65.0 $65.0

-25.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$201

$12.03 $12.03

-9.39%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.1

$7.04 $7.04

-47.73%

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

$1.63 MX$30.18

$2.14 $2.14

-23.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 MX$23.07

$2.59 $2.59

-51.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$60.1

$10.64 $10.64

-69.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 MX$102

$10.60 $10.60

-47.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$31.50

$1.62 $1.62

4.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 MX$55.8

$4.02 $4.02

-24.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.53

$8.65 $8.65

-77.80%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$50.5

$5.47 $5.47

-50.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.77 MX$218

$17.48 $17.48

-32.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 MX$176

$30.55 $30.55

-68.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 MX$266

$27.72 $27.72

-48.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$55.8

$9.64 $9.64

-68.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.01

$3.27 $3.27

-42.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$36.70

$10.00 $10.00

-80.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$40.38

$8.03 $8.03

-72.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.43

$7.55 $7.55

-74.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$34.49

$6.16 $6.16

-69.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MX$26.62

$3.04 $3.04

-52.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.39

$1.95 $1.95

-34.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 MX$96.4

$13.09 $13.09

-60.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.17 MX$299

$20.61 $20.61

-21.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 MX$35.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MX$78.0

$8.98 $8.98

-53.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.30

$8.09 $8.09

-95.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.65 MX$363

$148 $148

-86.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MX$36.90

$6.88 $6.88

-70.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MX$9.67

$3.66 $3.66

-85.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 MX$98.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$28.13

$1.38 $1.38

10.14%

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

$22.1K MX$408.0K

$31.2K $31.2K

-29.33%

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

$24.5K MX$452.9K

$22.5K $22.5K

9.17%

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

$61.1 MX$1,129

$255 $255

-76.03%

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

$28.58 MX$528

$108 $108

-73.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.47 MX$637

$136 $136

-74.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 MX$1,042

$102 $102

-44.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.88 MX$460

$24.76 $24.76

0.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 MX$123

$17.69 $17.69

-62.35%

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

$427 MX$7,891

$1,436 $1,436

-70.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K MX$215.0K

$17.9K $17.9K

-34.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 MX$1,253

$91.1 $91.1

-25.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 MX$960

$89.7 $89.7

-42.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MX$1,959

$171 $171

-38.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MX$2,080

$130 $130

-13.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 MX$18.9K

$2,269 $2,269

-54.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 MX$12.1K

$2,088 $2,088

-68.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,308 MX$42.7K

$3,368 $3,368

-31.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 MX$22.9K

$3,473 $3,473

-64.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,613 MX$66.8K

$3,900 $3,900

-7.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,936 MX$35.8K

$3,165 $3,165

-38.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$964 MX$17.8K

$7,827 $7,827

-87.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.53

73.05%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Elk Grove, CA: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$654 42.3%

Elk Grove, CA

$2.1K 49.5% 219% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$318 20.6%

Elk Grove, CA

$679 * 16.1% 113% $361

Eating Out

Mexico City

$204 13.2%

Elk Grove, CA

$391 9.3% 92% $188

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$152 9.8%

Elk Grove, CA

$217 5.1% 42.4% $65

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$124 8%

Elk Grove, CA

$498 11.8% 302% $374

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$70 4.5%

Elk Grove, CA

$138 3.3% 97.4% $68

Getting Around

Mexico City

$26 1.7%

Elk Grove, CA

$205 4.9% 702% $180

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,025 in Mexico City and $2,269 in Elk Grove, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elk Grove, CA pays 712% 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 $65.0 in Elk Grove, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $679 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇺🇸 Elk Grove, CA

🕒 Local time

05:41 5:41 AM

04:41 4:41 AM

1 h behind Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

166,913

💱 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 20, 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 20, 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 Elk Grove, CA 3,010 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Elk Grove, CA

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 Elk Grove, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 172% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 712% lower in Elk Grove, CA. 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 $2,269 in Elk Grove, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 653% less than in Elk Grove, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $1,436 in Elk Grove, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,548 in Mexico City versus $4,216 in Elk Grove, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Elk Grove, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mexico City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Elk Grove, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Elk Grove, CA 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 172% less than in Elk Grove, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.