Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Los Ángeles Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Los Ángeles

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $1,087 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,633 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $2,179 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 33% more than Los Ángeles, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Los Ángeles is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$8.41 CLP 7,556

54.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$45.30 CLP 40.7K

16.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.78 CLP 6,990

21.21%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.81 CLP 2,527

27.05%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.35 CLP 1,217

19.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$1.06 CLP 951

8.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$3.25 CLP 2,919

-3.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$4.19 CLP 3,770

15.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.25 CLP 1,119

36.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.56 CLP 1,404

69.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.96 CLP 1,757

-3.06%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$3.60 CLP 3,236

-29.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$10.30 CLP 9,255

-2.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$6.65 CLP 5,975

24.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$11.12 CLP 9,995

4.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.89 CLP 1,699

60.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.50 CLP 1,352

14.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.53 CLP 1,376

33.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.46 CLP 1,316

41.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.24 CLP 1,111

66.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.39 CLP 1,252

56.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.21 CLP 1,083

15.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.19 CLP 1,065

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$5.25 CLP 4,722

-18.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$6.00 CLP 5,393

156.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.59 CLP 1,430

5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.29 CLP 2,057

61.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.63 CLP 562

-39.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.47 CLP 422

193.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.38 CLP 1,238

-7.25%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$19.2K CLP 17.3M

-1.12%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$21.3K CLP 19.2M

9.98%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$134 CLP 120.2K

-69.32%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$13.52 CLP 12.2K

99.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$22.06 CLP 19.8K

34.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$37.87 CLP 34.0K

38.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$21.68 CLP 19.5K

20.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$5.57 CLP 5,003

10.95%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$444 CLP 399.1K

-3.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$49.92 CLP 44.9K

13.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$30.91 CLP 27.8K

45.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$62.0 CLP 55.7K

68.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$81.1 CLP 72.9K

30.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$478 CLP 429.3K

108.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$369 CLP 331.4K

68.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$900 CLP 808.9K

136.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$594 CLP 533.8K

111.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.18

118.92%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Los Ángeles: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $478 in Los Ángeles. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $45.00 in Los Ángeles. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $230 – making Los Ángeles the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Los Ángeles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 33% more than Los Ángeles, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,630 in Los Ángeles. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Los Ángeles, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City and $45.00 in Los Ángeles. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Los Ángeles, where all-in costs run around $1,087, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Los Ángeles it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Los Ángeles costs $1,087 versus $1,447 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Los Ángeles. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.