Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Houghton, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $2,736 in Houghton, MI, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Houghton, MI
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Houghton, MI Living Index

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Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,548

/mo nomad

Houghton, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,736

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Houghton, MI

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 Houghton, MI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,548 in Mexico City versus $2,736 in Houghton, MI.

Mexico City $1,548
Houghton, MI $2,736

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,436 in Mexico City versus $3,593 in Houghton, MI.

Mexico City $2,436
Houghton, MI $3,593

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,323 in Mexico City versus $4,449 in Houghton, MI.

Mexico City $3,323
Houghton, MI $4,449

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 43% less than in Houghton, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 14% above, Houghton, MI 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 MX$204

$13.78 $13.78

-20.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.68 MX$900

$39.55 $39.55

23.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$201

$10.37 $10.37

5.11%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.1

$4.13 $4.13

-10.90%

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

$1.63 MX$30.18

$2.78 $2.78

-41.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 MX$23.07

$1.62 $1.62

-22.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$60.1

$5.94 $5.94

-45.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 MX$102

$7.38 $7.38

-25.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$31.50

$1.00 $1.00

70.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 MX$55.8

$4.18 $4.18

-27.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.53

$6.34 $6.34

-69.72%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$50.5

$3.94 $3.94

-30.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.77 MX$218

$12.31 $12.31

-4.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 MX$176

$10.79 $10.79

-11.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 MX$266

$10.97 $10.97

31.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$55.8

$5.09 $5.09

-40.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.01

$1.18 $1.18

60.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$36.70

$4.25 $4.25

-53.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$40.38

$4.77 $4.77

-54.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.43

$2.80 $2.80

-31.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$34.49

$3.01 $3.01

-37.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MX$26.62

$2.21 $2.21

-34.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.39

$1.47 $1.47

-13.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 MX$96.4

$10.18 $10.18

-48.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.17 MX$299

$14.99 $14.99

7.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 MX$35.03

$1.95 $1.95

-2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MX$78.0

$3.28 $3.28

28.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.30

$2.03 $2.03

-83.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.65 MX$363

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MX$36.90

$3.02 $3.02

-33.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MX$9.67

$1.49 $1.49

-65.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 MX$98.7

$29.22 $29.22

-81.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$28.13

$0.81 $0.81

87.65%

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

$22.1K MX$408.0K

$25.1K $25.1K

-12.16%

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

$24.5K MX$452.9K

$25.4K $25.4K

-3.43%

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

$61.1 MX$1,129

$280 $280

-78.21%

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

$28.58 MX$528

$57.6 $57.6

-50.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.47 MX$637

$69.1 $69.1

-50.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 MX$1,042

$36.96 $36.96

52.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.88 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 MX$123

$14.18 $14.18

-53.03%

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

$427 MX$7,891

$1,249 $1,249

-65.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K MX$215.0K

$22.9K $22.9K

-49.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 MX$1,253

$53.7 $53.7

26.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 MX$960

$41.58 $41.58

24.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MX$1,959

$87.0 $87.0

21.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MX$2,080

$108 $108

3.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 MX$18.9K

$1,833 $1,833

-44.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 MX$12.1K

$1,484 $1,484

-55.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,308 MX$42.7K

$2,318 $2,318

-0.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 MX$22.9K

$1,967 $1,967

-36.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,613 MX$66.8K

$1,546 $1,546

133.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,936 MX$35.8K

$1,550 $1,550

24.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$964 MX$17.8K

$2,603 $2,603

-62.97%

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 Houghton, MI: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$654 42.3%

Houghton, MI

$1.5K 54.2% 127% $830

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$318 20.6%

Houghton, MI

$377 13.8% 18.6% $59

Eating Out

Mexico City

$204 13.2%

Houghton, MI

$253 9.3% 24.1% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$152 9.8%

Houghton, MI

$131 4.8% 14.1% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$124 8%

Houghton, MI

$407 14.9% 228% $283

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$70 4.5%

Houghton, MI

$65 2.4% 6.3% $4.4

Getting Around

Mexico City

$26 1.7%

Houghton, MI

$19 * 0.7% 27.5% $7.1

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 $1,833 in Houghton, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houghton, MI pays 170% 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 $40.00 in Houghton, MI. Groceries flip the comparison at $318 vs $377, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇺🇸 Houghton, MI

🕒 Local time

09:05 9:05 AM

11:05 11:05 AM

2 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

8,000

💱 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 21, 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 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Mexico City Houghton, MI 3,220 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Houghton, MI

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 Houghton, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 170% lower in Houghton, MI. 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 $1,833 in Houghton, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Houghton, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,548 per month in Mexico City versus $2,736 in Houghton, MI – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,548 in Mexico City versus $2,736 in Houghton, MI, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Houghton, MI. 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 Houghton, MI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Houghton, MI 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 77% less than in Houghton, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.