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: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $2,746 in Houston, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $3,895 in Houston, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $5,045 in Houston, TX.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 39% less than in Houston, TX, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 22% above, Houston, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$19.92 $19.92

-39.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$75.5 $75.5

-28.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$10.11 $10.11

9.69%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$5.42 $5.42

-24.35%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$2.72 $2.72

-38.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$2.18 $2.18

-36.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$6.17 $6.17

-46.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$7.87 $7.87

-25.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$0.87 $0.87

112.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$3.38 $3.38

-6.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$4.25 $4.25

-51.29%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$3.35 $3.35

-12.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$12.64 $12.64

-0.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$12.71 $12.71

-20.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$16.28 $16.28

-1.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$4.35 $4.35

-22.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.41 $1.41

47.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$2.95 $2.95

-28.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$3.32 $3.32

-27.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$2.39 $2.39

-10.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$2.84 $2.84

-29.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$1.87 $1.87

-17.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$2.61 $2.61

-47.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$9.51 $9.51

-39.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$14.50 $14.50

22.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$2.53 $2.53

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$3.03 $3.03

52.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$1.28 $1.28

-71.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$76.2 $76.2

-72.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$2.98 $2.98

-31.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$1.47 $1.47

-60.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$23.55 $23.55

-74.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.94 $0.94

64.89%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$36.0K $36.0K

-36.38%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$27.2K $27.2K

0.27%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$199 $199

-66.14%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$62.6 $62.6

-51.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$74.8 $74.8

-50.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$40.06 $40.06

53.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$20.53 $20.53

32.10%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$14.83 $14.83

-52.06%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$2,202 $2,202

-79.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$21.9K $21.9K

-37.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$49.34 $49.34

50.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$46.55 $46.55

22.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$106 $106

8.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$94.3 $94.3

28.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$1,670 $1,670

-31.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$1,416 $1,416

-49.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$3,096 $3,096

-16.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$2,209 $2,209

-41.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$2,426 $2,426

65.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$1,804 $1,804

18.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$4,285 $4,285

-74.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.2

82.26%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Houston, TX: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $1,670 in Houston, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houston, TX pays 296% 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 $75.0 in Houston, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $381 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 64% 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, salaries run 296% lower in Houston, TX. 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $1,670 in Houston, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% 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 $75.0 in Houston, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $2,746 in Houston, TX, a $3,000 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 $1,677 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 64% less than in Houston, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.