Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Merrillville, IN Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Merrillville, IN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,682 in Mexico City versus $2,556 in Merrillville, IN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,599 in Mexico City versus $3,638 in Merrillville, IN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,516 in Mexico City versus $4,721 in Merrillville, IN.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 34% less than in Merrillville, IN, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 23% above, Merrillville, IN 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$15.03 $15.03

-21.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$55.6 $55.6

-6.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$9.93 $9.93

9.47%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$4.45 $4.45

-9.44%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$2.22 $2.22

-22.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$2.19 $2.19

-38.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$4.16 $4.16

-18.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$5.53 $5.53

3.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$0.81 $0.81

133.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$2.81 $2.81

12.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$4.53 $4.53

-54.75%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$4.77 $4.77

-36.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$11.65 $11.65

8.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$9.84 $9.84

1.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$20.82 $20.82

-23.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$5.91 $5.91

-44.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$1.22 $1.22

68.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$4.42 $4.42

-52.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$5.52 $5.52

-54.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$3.62 $3.62

-43.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$4.20 $4.20

-55.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$2.35 $2.35

-33.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$1.28 $1.28

8.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$8.50 $8.50

-36.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

$11.76 $11.76

52.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$2.01 $2.01

0.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$3.42 $3.42

39.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

$1.98 $1.98

-81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$4.87 $4.87

-57.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

$1.87 $1.87

-70.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

$50.7 $50.7

-88.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$0.95 $0.95

62.11%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$36.9K $36.9K

-39.15%

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$28.1K $28.1K

-5.84%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$232 $232

-71.55%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$63.0 $63.0

-50.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$64.7 $64.7

-44.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$41.84 $41.84

37.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$14.74 $14.74

-51.63%

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

$457 MX$7,738

$1,356 $1,356

-66.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

$23.1K $23.1K

-42.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$51.7 $51.7

46.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$40.58 $40.58

33.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$102 $102

13.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$96.9 $96.9

25.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$1,567 $1,567

-26.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

$1,286 $1,286

-43.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

$2,548 $2,548

-1.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

$2,154 $2,154

-38.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

$2,729 $2,729

42.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

$2,341 $2,341

-8.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

6.34

79.02%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Merrillville, IN: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Mexico City and $1,567 in Merrillville, IN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $56.0 in Merrillville, IN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $387 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 Merrillville, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Merrillville, IN differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($1,682 vs $2,556 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,523 in Mexico City and $3,834 in Merrillville, IN to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,147 in Mexico City versus $1,567 in Merrillville, IN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Merrillville, IN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,682 per month in Mexico City versus $2,556 in Merrillville, IN – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,682 in Mexico City versus $2,556 in Merrillville, IN, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Merrillville, IN. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Merrillville, IN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.