Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Germantown, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $2,559 in Germantown, TN, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Germantown, TN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,559
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Germantown, TN

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 Germantown, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,548 in Mexico City versus $2,559 in Germantown, TN.

  • Mexico City $1,548
  • Germantown, TN $2,559

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,436 in Mexico City versus $3,889 in Germantown, TN.

  • Mexico City $2,436
  • Germantown, TN $3,889

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,323 in Mexico City versus $5,220 in Germantown, TN.

  • Mexico City $3,323
  • Germantown, TN $5,220

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 40% less than in Germantown, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 14% above, Germantown, TN 89% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Germantown, TN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.02 MX$204
$18.12 $18.12
-39.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.68 MX$900
$73.6 $73.6
-33.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.90 MX$201
$12.53 $12.53
-13.01%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.1
$5.67 $5.67
-35.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 MX$30.18
$2.51 $2.51
-35.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 MX$23.07
$1.89 $1.89
-33.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.25 MX$60.1
$5.36 $5.36
-39.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.53 MX$102
$7.57 $7.57
-26.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Germantown, TN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$31.50
$1.06 $1.06
60.38%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$3.43 $3.43
-11.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.53
$4.62 $4.62
-58.44%
Eggs
$2.73 MX$50.5
$4.19 $4.19
-34.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.77 MX$218
$10.72 $10.72
9.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 MX$176
$12.34 $12.34
-22.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.41 MX$266
$18.07 $18.07
-20.25%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$4.30 $4.30
-29.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.01
$1.67 $1.67
13.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.70
$4.36 $4.36
-54.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$40.38
$4.12 $4.12
-46.84%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.43
$2.87 $2.87
-33.10%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 MX$34.49
$2.56 $2.56
-26.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 MX$26.62
$2.26 $2.26
-36.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.39
$2.20 $2.20
-42.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22 MX$96.4
$9.24 $9.24
-43.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.17 MX$299
$16.31 $16.31
-0.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 MX$35.03
$1.98 $1.98
-4.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 MX$78.0
$3.26 $3.26
29.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Germantown, TN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 MX$6.30
$2.21 $2.21
-84.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.65 MX$363
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.00 MX$36.90
$3.10 $3.10
-35.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 MX$9.67
$1.57 $1.57
-66.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.34 MX$98.7
$26.32 $26.32
-79.71%
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
$26.4K $26.4K
-16.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K MX$452.9K
$28.6K $28.6K
-14.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Germantown, TN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.1 MX$1,129
$200 $200
-69.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.58 MX$528
$58.0 $58.0
-50.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.47 MX$637
$69.6 $69.6
-50.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Germantown, TN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,042
$41.85 $41.85
34.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.88 MX$460
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.66 MX$123
$14.07 $14.07
-52.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Germantown, TN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$427 MX$7,891
$1,239 $1,239
-65.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K MX$215.0K
$21.1K $21.1K
-44.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Germantown, TN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.8 MX$1,253
$53.8 $53.8
25.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.0 MX$960
$40.87 $40.87
27.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 MX$1,959
$90.0 $90.0
17.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 MX$2,080
$113 $113
-0.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Germantown, TN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,025 MX$18.9K
$1,599 $1,599
-35.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$654 MX$12.1K
$1,301 $1,301
-49.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,308 MX$42.7K
$2,521 $2,521
-8.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,242 MX$22.9K
$2,457 $2,457
-49.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,613 MX$66.8K
$2,483 $2,483
45.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,936 MX$35.8K
$2,299 $2,299
-15.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Germantown, TN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$964 MX$17.8K
-
-
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 Germantown, TN: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$654
Germantown, TN
$1.3K 98.9% $647
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$318
Germantown, TN
$396 24.5% $78
Eating Out
Mexico City
$204
Germantown, TN
$310 52.1% $106
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$152
Germantown, TN
$134 11.9% $18
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$124
Germantown, TN
$327 164% $203
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$70
Germantown, TN
$70 0.4% $0.3
Getting Around
Mexico City
$26
Germantown, TN
$20 * 22.7% $5.8

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 $1,599 in Germantown, TN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Mexico City vs $74.0 in Germantown, TN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $396 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇺🇸 Germantown, TN
🕒 Local time
02:13 2:13 AM
03:13 3:13 AM
1 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
39,240
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Germantown, TN 1,970 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Germantown, TN

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 Germantown, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Germantown, TN?
Mexico City and Germantown, TN differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,548 vs $2,559 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Germantown, TN?
You'd need roughly $2,322 in Mexico City and $3,838 in Germantown, TN to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and in Germantown, TN?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,025 in Mexico City versus $1,599 in Germantown, TN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Germantown, TN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Mexico City or Germantown, TN?
All in, you'll spend $1,548 per month in Mexico City versus $2,559 in Germantown, TN – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,548 in Mexico City versus $2,559 in Germantown, TN, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Germantown, TN. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Germantown, TN?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Mexico City or Germantown, TN safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Germantown, TN are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Germantown, TN?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Germantown, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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