Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Florence, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,561 a month against $2,245 in Florence, SC, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,561
/mo nomad
Florence, SC
🇺🇸 United States
$2,245
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Florence, SC

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 Florence, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,561 in Mexico City versus $2,245 in Florence, SC.

  • Mexico City $1,561
  • Florence, SC $2,245

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,440 in Mexico City versus $3,233 in Florence, SC.

  • Mexico City $2,440
  • Florence, SC $3,233

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,319 in Mexico City versus $4,220 in Florence, SC.

  • Mexico City $3,319
  • Florence, SC $4,220

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 30% less than in Florence, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 16% above, Florence, SC 68% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Florence, SC
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.12 MX$204
$15.29 $15.29
-27.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.99 MX$900
$63.6 $63.6
-23.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.23 MX$206
$10.92 $10.92
2.84%
Cappuccino
$3.76 MX$69.0
$4.87 $4.87
-22.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 MX$30.34
$2.58 $2.58
-36.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.48
$2.06 $2.06
-37.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.26 MX$59.8
$5.05 $5.05
-35.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.66 MX$104
$7.09 $7.09
-20.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Florence, SC
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 MX$33.23
$0.99 $0.99
82.83%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 MX$54.0
$4.07 $4.07
-27.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.05 MX$37.62
$5.99 $5.99
-65.78%
Eggs
$2.93 MX$53.7
$5.15 $5.15
-43.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.95 MX$219
$11.55 $11.55
3.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.51 MX$175
$14.75 $14.75
-35.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.84 MX$273
$24.97 $24.97
-40.57%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 MX$57.7
$6.38 $6.38
-50.78%
Banana (1kg)
$2.01 MX$36.99
$1.71 $1.71
17.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.08 MX$38.10
$7.12 $7.12
-70.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.22 MX$40.72
$6.08 $6.08
-63.49%
Potato (1kg)
$2.06 MX$37.82
$4.15 $4.15
-50.36%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 MX$34.46
$6.11 $6.11
-69.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.18
$2.31 $2.31
-35.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.35 MX$24.70
$3.11 $3.11
-56.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.41 MX$99.3
$8.16 $8.16
-33.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.86 MX$310
$14.27 $14.27
18.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$36.43
$1.99 $1.99
-0.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.32 MX$79.4
$5.99 $5.99
-27.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Florence, SC
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 MX$6.33
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.23 MX$371
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.10 MX$38.47
$7.21 $7.21
-70.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$9.74
$1.89 $1.89
-71.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 MX$99.3
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$27.91
$0.97 $0.97
56.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.7K MX$399.0K
$36.2K $36.2K
-39.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.8K MX$455.6K
$25.3K $25.3K
-1.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Florence, SC
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,156
$282 $282
-77.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.88 MX$530
$56.3 $56.3
-48.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.93 MX$623
$40.45 $40.45
-16.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Florence, SC
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.8 MX$1,024
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.90 MX$457
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.77 MX$124
$14.92 $14.92
-54.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Florence, SC
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$428 MX$7,854
$1,331 $1,331
-67.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K MX$218.0K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Florence, SC
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.0 MX$1,286
$40.44 $40.44
73.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.7 MX$986
$29.55 $29.55
81.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 MX$2,016
$105 $105
4.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 MX$2,115
$71.2 $71.2
61.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Florence, SC
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,062 MX$19.5K
$970 $970
9.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$671 MX$12.3K
$970 $970
-30.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,379 MX$43.7K
$1,458 $1,458
63.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,260 MX$23.1K
$1,356 $1,356
-7.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,716 MX$68.2K
$1,553 $1,553
139.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,976 MX$36.3K
$1,548 $1,548
27.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Florence, SC
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$997 MX$18.3K
$3,203 $3,203
-68.88%
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 6, 2026

Last update for Florence, SC: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$671
Florence, SC
$970 44.7% $300
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$327
Florence, SC
$501 53.4% $174
Eating Out
Mexico City
$207
Florence, SC
$272 31.2% $65
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$157
Florence, SC
$111 29.4% $46
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Florence, SC
$378 201% $253
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$69
Florence, SC
$30 * 57% $39
Getting Around
Mexico City
$26
Florence, SC
$17 * 36.9% $9.7

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 $1,062 in Mexico City and $970 in Florence, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Florence, SC pays 221% 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 $64.0 in Florence, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $501 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇺🇸 Florence, SC
🕒 Local time
19:02 7:02 PM
21:02 9:02 PM
2 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
40,184
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Florence, SC 2,520 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Florence, SC

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 Florence, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mexico City or Florence, SC?
Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Florence, SC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Mexico City or in Florence, SC?
On paper, salaries run 221% lower in Florence, SC. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Mexico City compared to Florence, SC?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Mexico City versus $970 in Florence, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Mexico City and in Florence, SC?
Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $1,331 in Florence, SC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Mexico City and in Florence, SC?
Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $64.0 in Florence, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Mexico City or in Florence, SC?
At $1,561 in Mexico City versus $2,245 in Florence, SC, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Florence, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mexico City or Florence, SC?
Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,561 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Florence, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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