Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Islip, NY Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Islip, NY

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,056 in Islip, NY.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,685 in Islip, NY.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $2,314 in Islip, NY.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 59% more expensive than in Islip, NY, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Islip, NY is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$19.64 $19.64

-38.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$58.9 $58.9

-8.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$11.21 $11.21

-1.07%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$3.94 $3.94

4.06%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$2.03 $2.03

-17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$1.54 $1.54

-9.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$8.18 $8.18

-59.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$7.92 $7.92

-25.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$0.75 $0.75

146.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$2.69 $2.69

17.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$4.22 $4.22

-50.95%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.23 $2.23

31.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$12.32 $12.32

2.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$6.16 $6.16

64.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$11.11 $11.11

44.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$4.36 $4.36

-22.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.29 $1.29

61.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$2.13 $2.13

-0.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$2.78 $2.78

-13.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.72 $1.72

23.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$2.24 $2.24

-10.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$1.49 $1.49

4.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$1.06 $1.06

28.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$11.28 $11.28

-48.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$12.78 $12.78

38.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.71 $1.71

21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$5.49 $5.49

-16.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$4.46 $4.46

-91.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$3.08 $3.08

-33.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$2.00 $2.00

-71.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$23.74 $23.74

-74.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.01 $1.01

53.47%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$37.3K $37.3K

-38.73%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$25.4K $25.4K

7.24%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$79.9 $79.9

-15.67%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$70.6 $70.6

-56.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$67.4 $67.4

-44.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$58.3 $58.3

5.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$14.37 $14.37

-50.52%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$2,290 $2,290

-80.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$23.7K $23.7K

-42.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$41.72 $41.72

77.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$27.08 $27.08

110.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$72.4 $72.4

59.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$90.2 $90.2

34.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$2,015 $2,015

-43.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$3,406 $3,406

-24.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$3,940 $3,940

-72.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.17

83.14%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Islip, NY: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $2,015 in Islip, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Islip, NY pays 264% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $59.0 in Islip, NY. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $287, with Islip, NY cheaper for home cooking.

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 Islip, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Islip, NY is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 264% lower in Islip, NY. 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 $2,015 in Islip, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $2,290 in Islip, NY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Islip, NY – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,056 in Islip, NY versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Islip, NY but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Islip, NY the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Islip, NY 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.

Expats usually find Islip, NY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.