Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Houston, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Houston, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,640 in Houston, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $4,013 in Houston, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $5,386 in Houston, TX.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 44% less than in Houston, TX, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 10% above, Houston, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$20.24 $20.24

-34.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$931

$80.7 $80.7

-33.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$9.97 $9.97

-5.52%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.3

$5.63 $5.63

-36.94%

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

$1.62 MX$27.95

$2.81 $2.81

-42.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.25

$2.17 $2.17

-48.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$53.9

$5.82 $5.82

-46.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.0

$7.15 $7.15

-35.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.40

$0.88 $0.88

93.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$46.97

$3.00 $3.00

-9.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.04

$3.58 $3.58

-46.65%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.82

$4.22 $4.22

-39.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$173

$12.62 $12.62

-20.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$12.09 $12.09

-33.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$17.32 $17.32

-32.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$4.27 $4.27

-30.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.21

$1.36 $1.36

33.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.79

$3.82 $3.82

-47.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.16

$2.62 $2.62

-22.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.71

$2.79 $2.79

-24.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.21

$2.30 $2.30

-1.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.20

$1.86 $1.86

-24.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.53

$2.16 $2.16

-47.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.8

$9.82 $9.82

-56.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$13.53 $13.53

15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.36

$1.97 $1.97

-10.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.1

$3.81 $3.81

-5.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$1.27 $1.27

-70.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$331

$76.1 $76.1

-74.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$3.93 $3.93

-64.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.84 $1.84

-84.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.1

$30.40 $30.40

-82.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.53

$0.78 $0.78

66.67%

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

$18.7K MX$322.9K

$32.6K $32.6K

-42.75%

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

$23.1K MX$399.7K

$25.2K $25.2K

-8.18%

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

$40.86 MX$706

$193 $193

-78.82%

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

$26.81 MX$463

$63.3 $63.3

-57.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$66.5 $66.5

-54.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$899

$38.61 $38.61

34.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$10.73 $10.73

150.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$15.23 $15.23

-58.63%

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

$436 MX$7,536

$1,236 $1,236

-64.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.0K

$18.9K $18.9K

-44.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$979

$47.10 $47.10

20.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$767

$43.41 $43.41

2.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,779

$99.7 $99.7

3.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,823

$121 $121

-13.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$1,663 $1,663

-38.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$1,250 $1,250

-49.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$3,066 $3,066

-30.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$2,412 $2,412

-48.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.4K

$2,489 $2,489

56.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,868 $1,868

10.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$4,549 $4,549

-75.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.44

76.09%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Houston, TX: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $1,663 in Houston, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houston, TX pays 308% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $81.0 in Houston, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $369 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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 Houston, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 80% lower than in Houston, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Houston, TX earns 308% less. 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $1,663 in Houston, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Houston, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $81.0 in Houston, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,640 in Houston, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Houston, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,467 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Houston, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.