Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Montgomery, AL Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Montgomery, AL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $2,118 in Montgomery, AL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $2,924 in Montgomery, AL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $3,730 in Montgomery, AL.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 21% less than in Montgomery, AL, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 22% above, Montgomery, AL 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$16.78 $16.78

-27.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$64.0 $64.0

-15.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$10.80 $10.80

2.69%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$4.96 $4.96

-17.34%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$2.40 $2.40

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$1.88 $1.88

-26.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$4.21 $4.21

-20.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$5.00 $5.00

17.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$0.84 $0.84

120.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$3.03 $3.03

4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$2.05 $2.05

0.98%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$4.50 $4.50

-34.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$4.95 $4.95

154.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$7.29 $7.29

38.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$15.34 $15.34

4.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$3.74 $3.74

-9.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.27 $1.27

63.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$2.84 $2.84

-25.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$3.02 $3.02

-20.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$2.65 $2.65

-19.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$2.25 $2.25

-10.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$2.06 $2.06

-24.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$1.84 $1.84

-26.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$8.35 $8.35

-30.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$14.18 $14.18

25.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.70 $1.70

21.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$3.26 $3.26

41.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$1.95 $1.95

-81.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$4.28 $4.28

-52.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$1.94 $1.94

-70.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$32.43 $32.43

-81.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.79 $0.79

96.20%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$30.0K $30.0K

-23.85%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$25.6K $25.6K

6.50%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$169 $169

-60.07%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$66.4 $66.4

-53.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$72.7 $72.7

-48.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$37.74 $37.74

62.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$10.02 $10.02

-29.04%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$1,348 $1,348

-66.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$8,496 $8,496

61.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$61.7 $61.7

20.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$25.41 $25.41

124.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$73.6 $73.6

56.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$122 $122

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$1,269 $1,269

-9.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$1,012 $1,012

-29.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$1,624 $1,624

58.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$1,304 $1,304

-0.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$1,417 $1,417

182.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$1,398 $1,398

52.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$3,549 $3,549

-69.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.15

83.74%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Montgomery, AL: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $1,269 in Montgomery, AL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montgomery, AL pays 228% 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 $64.0 in Montgomery, AL. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $301, with Montgomery, AL 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 Montgomery, AL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Montgomery, AL differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $2,118 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 228% lower in Montgomery, AL. 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 $1,269 in Montgomery, AL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $1,348 in Montgomery, AL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $64.0 in Montgomery, AL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $2,118 in Montgomery, AL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Montgomery, AL. 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 26% less than in Montgomery, AL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.