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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $862 in Montana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,399 in Montana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,937 in Montana.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 95% more expensive than in Montana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Montana is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$9.45 BGN 15.73

28.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$36.89 BGN 61.4

46.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$9.86 BGN 16.40

12.47%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$1.44 BGN 2.40

184.72%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$1.46 BGN 2.43

15.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$1.10 BGN 1.84

26.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$1.40 BGN 2.32

137.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$1.08 BGN 1.80

444.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.70 BGN 2.82

8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.08 BGN 1.80

193.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$2.16 BGN 3.59

-4.17%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.77 BGN 4.60

5.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$9.91 BGN 16.49

27.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$3.34 BGN 5.56

202.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$12.87 BGN 21.41

25.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$1.30 BGN 2.17

160.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.93 BGN 3.21

7.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.84 BGN 3.05

15.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$2.65 BGN 4.40

-9.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.72 BGN 1.20

195.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.97 BGN 1.61

107.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.95 BGN 1.58

63.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.52 BGN 0.86

161.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$3.83 BGN 6.38

50.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$6.47 BGN 10.77

174.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$0.91 BGN 1.51

127.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$1.22 BGN 2.04

277.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.85 BGN 1.41

-56.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$24.69 BGN 41.08

-14.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$0.62 BGN 1.04

230.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.46 BGN 0.77

26.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$10.89 BGN 18.12

-44.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.57 BGN 2.61

-1.27%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$19.9K BGN 33.0K

15.23%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$24.7K BGN 41.1K

10.11%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$105 BGN 174

-35.60%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$19.18 BGN 31.91

59.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$8.86 BGN 14.74

320.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$31.81 BGN 52.9

93.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$17.58 BGN 29.25

54.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$5.61 BGN 9.33

26.74%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$537 BGN 893

-15.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$5,681 BGN 9,452

141.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$71.8 BGN 119

3.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$44.05 BGN 73.3

29.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$98.8 BGN 164

16.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$108 BGN 180

12.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$225 BGN 375

409.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$166 BGN 277

326.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$409 BGN 681

529.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$307 BGN 511

321.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$1,368 BGN 2,276

192.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$1,112 BGN 1,849

91.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$1,026 BGN 1,706

5.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

3.1

264.52%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Montana: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $225 in Montana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $37.00 in Montana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $205 per month, with Montana 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 Montana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Montana differ by about 95% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $862 including rent). Montana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $225 in Montana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Montana runs roughly 17% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $537 in Montana. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $862 in Montana versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Montana but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Montana 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 Montana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.