Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ilsan Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ilsan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,682 in Mexico City versus $1,377 in Ilsan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,599 in Mexico City versus $2,187 in Ilsan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,516 in Mexico City versus $2,998 in Ilsan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 22% more expensive than in Ilsan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 23% above, Ilsan 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$6.90 ₩9,591

71.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$64.3 ₩89.4K

-18.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$6.87 ₩9,547

58.22%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$4.13 ₩5,736

-2.42%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$1.57 ₩2,185

8.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$0.70 ₩970

91.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$3.55 ₩4,931

-4.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$5.63 ₩7,823

1.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$1.99 ₩2,767

-5.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$2.99 ₩4,151

6.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$2.19 ₩3,040

-6.39%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$3.06 ₩4,250

-1.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$14.55 ₩20.2K

-13.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$7.27 ₩10.1K

36.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$10.38 ₩14.4K

54.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$7.14 ₩9,926

-54.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$3.13 ₩4,357

-34.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$5.52 ₩7,667

-62.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$6.21 ₩8,626

-59.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$3.26 ₩4,532

-37.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$2.35 ₩3,270

-20.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$1.89 ₩2,629

-16.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$1.05 ₩1,453

32.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$3.10 ₩4,307

73.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

$17.96 ₩25.0K

-0.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$2.18 ₩3,034

-7.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$2.74 ₩3,805

73.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

$1.04 ₩1,449

-65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

$45.98 ₩63.9K

-54.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$3.44 ₩4,787

-40.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

$0.61 ₩847

-8.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

$8.45 ₩11.7K

-31.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$1.30 ₩1,804

18.46%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$28.3K ₩39.4M

-20.70%

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$27.0K ₩37.5M

-1.90%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$199 ₩276.9K

-66.88%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$33.78 ₩47.0K

-8.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$18.82 ₩26.2K

92.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$52.6 ₩73.1K

9.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

$11.17 ₩15.5K

139.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$10.43 ₩14.5K

-31.64%

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

$457 MX$7,738

$551 ₩765.6K

-17.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

$16.8K ₩23.3M

-21.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$53.6 ₩74.5K

41.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$31.12 ₩43.3K

73.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$67.3 ₩93.5K

73.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$79.2 ₩110.0K

53.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$431 ₩598.7K

166.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

$341 ₩473.7K

112.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

$1,097 ₩1.5M

128.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

$664 ₩922.8K

100.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

$7,334 ₩10.2M

-46.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

$5,218 ₩7.3M

-58.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$3,229 ₩4.5M

-66.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

4.1

176.83%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Ilsan: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Mexico City and $431 in Ilsan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 202% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $64.0 in Ilsan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $376 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 Ilsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ilsan is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 202% lower in Ilsan. 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: $1,147 in Mexico City versus $431 in Ilsan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,682 per month in Mexico City versus $1,377 in Ilsan – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ilsan runs roughly 121% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,377 in Ilsan versus $1,682 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ilsan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ilsan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ilsan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Ilsan 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 Ilsan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.