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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $1,099 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,649 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $2,200 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 34% more than Los Ángeles, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Los Ángeles is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$8.80 CLP 8,187

49.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$44.26 CLP 41.2K

20.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$7.81 CLP 7,269

19.46%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.75 CLP 2,561

34.55%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.31 CLP 1,219

22.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$1.06 CLP 989

5.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$3.15 CLP 2,931

-0.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$4.13 CLP 3,847

17.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.19 CLP 1,107

38.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.53 CLP 1,421

77.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.89 CLP 1,755

1.06%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$3.57 CLP 3,325

-27.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$10.62 CLP 9,880

-7.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$6.85 CLP 6,374

23.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$10.82 CLP 10.1K

10.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.91 CLP 1,773

54.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.50 CLP 1,398

16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.55 CLP 1,440

31.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.51 CLP 1,404

36.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.24 CLP 1,153

73.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.42 CLP 1,322

59.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$1.20 CLP 1,120

15.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$1.22 CLP 1,135

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$5.40 CLP 5,026

-21.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$5.88 CLP 5,476

197.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.59 CLP 1,484

7.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.31 CLP 2,149

57.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.58 CLP 540

-39.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.48 CLP 444

187.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.44 CLP 1,337

-5.56%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$19.2K CLP 17.8M

-0.37%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$21.0K CLP 19.6M

12.29%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$134 CLP 124.4K

-69.69%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$13.70 CLP 12.7K

99.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$22.38 CLP 20.8K

35.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$38.41 CLP 35.7K

35.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$21.13 CLP 19.7K

25.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$5.57 CLP 5,181

11.13%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$439 CLP 408.8K

-3.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$51.5 CLP 48.0K

13.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$29.83 CLP 27.8K

49.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$62.5 CLP 58.1K

65.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$81.8 CLP 76.1K

32.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$474 CLP 441.3K

113.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$369 CLP 343.1K

68.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$896 CLP 833.8K

136.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$588 CLP 547.0K

108.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Los Ángeles: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $474 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $44.00 in Los Ángeles. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 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 34% 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 $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $1,648 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 $54.0 in Mexico City and $44.00 in Los Ángeles. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $1,099, than in Mexico City at $1,472. 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 $1,099 versus $1,472 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.