Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Hays, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,674 a month against $1,778 in Hays, KS, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Hays, KS, United States
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,674
/mo nomad
Hays, KS
🇺🇸 United States
$1,778
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Hays, KS

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 Hays, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,674 per month in Mexico City vs $1,778 in Hays, KS, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,674
  • Hays, KS $1,778

A couple spends around $2,606 per month in Mexico City vs $2,517 in Hays, KS, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,606
  • Hays, KS $2,517

A family of three spends $3,537 per month in Mexico City vs $3,256 in Hays, KS, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,537
  • Hays, KS $3,256

Mexico City is about 6% cheaper than Hays, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Mexico City and Hays, KS sit above the global median – Mexico City by 24%, Hays, KS by 32%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Hays, KS
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.59 MX$197
$11.83 $11.83
-10.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.0 MX$967
$41.42 $41.42
25.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.73 MX$200
$8.10 $8.10
32.47%
Cappuccino
$3.80 MX$70.6
$4.09 $4.09
-7.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 MX$30.01
$2.48 $2.48
-35.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$22.55
$0.97 $0.97
24.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 MX$59.1
$3.82 $3.82
-16.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.44 MX$101
$4.13 $4.13
31.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Hays, KS
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$31.96
$0.83 $0.83
107.23%
White Bread (500g)
$2.97 MX$55.2
$2.22 $2.22
33.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.93 MX$35.84
$4.30 $4.30
-55.12%
Eggs
$2.77 MX$51.6
$2.05 $2.05
35.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.67 MX$217
$4.37 $4.37
167.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.48 MX$176
$8.67 $8.67
9.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.37 MX$286
$13.30 $13.30
15.56%
Apples (1kg)
$3.10 MX$57.8
$6.36 $6.36
-51.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.96 MX$36.49
$1.65 $1.65
18.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 MX$36.88
$5.99 $5.99
-66.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.34 MX$43.46
$4.37 $4.37
-46.45%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.66
$3.79 $3.79
-46.70%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 MX$33.95
$2.19 $2.19
-16.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.54 MX$28.74
$1.94 $1.94
-20.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 MX$24.42
$1.94 $1.94
-32.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.35 MX$99.6
$9.49 $9.49
-43.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.19 MX$301
$11.97 $11.97
35.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 MX$36.46
$2.15 $2.15
-8.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 MX$81.0
$3.90 $3.90
11.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Hays, KS
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.30 MX$5.67
$2.01 $2.01
-85.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.49 MX$363
$65.1 $65.1
-70.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.92 MX$35.68
$2.52 $2.52
-23.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 MX$8.80
$1.53 $1.53
-69.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 MX$101
$40.54 $40.54
-86.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 MX$27.61
$1.03 $1.03
43.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K MX$397.7K
$28.2K $28.2K
-24.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K MX$442.1K
$26.6K $26.6K
-10.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Hays, KS
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.0 MX$1,154
$273 $273
-77.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.47 MX$530
$34.81 $34.81
-18.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.11 MX$635
$63.2 $63.2
-45.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Hays, KS
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.4 MX$1,087
$36.63 $36.63
59.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.50 MX$456
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.59 MX$123
$15.02 $15.02
-56.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Hays, KS
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$434 MX$8,081
$925 $925
-53.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.0K MX$261.2K
$17.8K $17.8K
-21.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Hays, KS
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.4 MX$1,272
$24.23 $24.23
182.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.8 MX$1,020
$29.97 $29.97
82.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 MX$2,063
$103 $103
7.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 MX$2,158
$110 $110
5.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Hays, KS
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,179 MX$21.9K
$806 $806
46.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$771 MX$14.3K
$598 $598
28.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,570 MX$47.8K
$999 $999
157.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,420 MX$26.4K
$903 $903
57.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,586 MX$66.7K
$2,596 $2,596
38.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,064 MX$38.4K
$2,572 $2,572
-19.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Hays, KS
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,003 MX$18.7K
$2,362 $2,362
-57.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
6.57
72.75%

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

Last update for Mexico City: November 1, 2026

Last update for Hays, KS: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$771
Hays, KS
$598 22.4% $173
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$324
Hays, KS
$329 1.7% $5.4
Eating Out
Mexico City
$201
Hays, KS
$209 4.3% $8.6
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$158
Hays, KS
$120 23.6% $37
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$125
Hays, KS
$371 198% $247
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Hays, KS
$67 6.8% $4.9
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Hays, KS
$83 234% $58

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,179 in Mexico City versus $806 in Hays, KS. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Hays, KS are about 2.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Mexico City versus $41 in Hays, KS. Groceries tell a different story – $324 in Mexico City vs $329 in Hays, KS – so Mexico City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇺🇸 Hays, KS
🕒 Local time
04:07 4:07 AM
04:07 4:07 AM
Same time as Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
19,726
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.91 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Hays, KS 2,160 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Hays, KS

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 Hays, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mexico City cheaper than Hays, KS?
Yes – Hays, KS is pricier by about 6%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,510 per month in Mexico City and $2,667 in Hays, KS. 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 Hays, KS, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $806 there versus $1,179 in Mexico City.
Is eating out cheaper in Mexico City or in Hays, KS?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Mexico City and $41 in Hays, KS. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 70% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $3,000 enough for either Mexico City or Hays, KS?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,674 in Mexico City and $1,778 in Hays, KS, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Mexico City or in Hays, KS?
It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,674 in Mexico City to $1,778 in Hays, KS. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hays, KS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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