Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Mundelein, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $2,438 in Mundelein, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Mundelein, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,438
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Mundelein, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Mundelein, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,548 in Mexico City versus $2,438 in Mundelein, IL.

  • Mexico City $1,548
  • Mundelein, IL $2,438

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,436 in Mexico City versus $3,620 in Mundelein, IL.

  • Mexico City $2,436
  • Mundelein, IL $3,620

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,323 in Mexico City versus $4,802 in Mundelein, IL.

  • Mexico City $3,323
  • Mundelein, IL $4,802

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 37% less than in Mundelein, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 14% above, Mundelein, IL 80% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Mundelein, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.02 MX$204
$16.19 $16.19
-31.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.68 MX$900
$54.1 $54.1
-9.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.90 MX$201
$7.90 $7.90
37.97%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.1
$5.76 $5.76
-36.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 MX$30.18
$3.20 $3.20
-49.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 MX$23.07
$2.45 $2.45
-48.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.25 MX$60.1
$6.90 $6.90
-52.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.53 MX$102
$7.91 $7.91
-30.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Mundelein, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$31.50
$0.75 $0.75
126.67%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$3.48 $3.48
-13.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.53
$2.17 $2.17
-11.52%
Eggs
$2.73 MX$50.5
$3.78 $3.78
-27.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.77 MX$218
$14.69 $14.69
-19.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 MX$176
$12.93 $12.93
-26.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.41 MX$266
$19.83 $19.83
-27.33%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$4.38 $4.38
-31.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.01
$1.65 $1.65
14.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.70
$5.18 $5.18
-61.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$40.38
$4.77 $4.77
-54.09%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.43
$2.75 $2.75
-30.18%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 MX$34.49
$3.07 $3.07
-39.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 MX$26.62
$2.11 $2.11
-31.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.39
$2.32 $2.32
-45.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22 MX$96.4
$10.62 $10.62
-50.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.17 MX$299
$15.81 $15.81
2.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 MX$35.03
$2.71 $2.71
-29.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 MX$78.0
$4.55 $4.55
-7.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Mundelein, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 MX$6.30
$2.24 $2.24
-84.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.65 MX$363
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.00 MX$36.90
$3.92 $3.92
-48.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 MX$9.67
$2.04 $2.04
-74.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.34 MX$98.7
$43.95 $43.95
-87.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$28.13
$1.05 $1.05
44.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1K MX$408.0K
$31.0K $31.0K
-28.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K MX$452.9K
$25.7K $25.7K
-4.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Mundelein, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.1 MX$1,129
$177 $177
-65.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.58 MX$528
$53.5 $53.5
-46.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.47 MX$637
$45.43 $45.43
-24.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Mundelein, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,042
$45.55 $45.55
23.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.88 MX$460
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.66 MX$123
$15.18 $15.18
-56.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Mundelein, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$427 MX$7,891
$1,713 $1,713
-75.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K MX$215.0K
$23.0K $23.0K
-49.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Mundelein, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.8 MX$1,253
$65.0 $65.0
4.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.0 MX$960
$49.73 $49.73
4.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 MX$1,959
$105 $105
0.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 MX$2,080
$123 $123
-8.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Mundelein, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,025 MX$18.9K
$1,483 $1,483
-30.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$654 MX$12.1K
$1,199 $1,199
-45.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,308 MX$42.7K
$2,267 $2,267
1.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,242 MX$22.9K
$2,114 $2,114
-41.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,613 MX$66.8K
$3,043 $3,043
18.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,936 MX$35.8K
$2,086 $2,086
-7.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Mundelein, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$964 MX$17.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
6.69
68.91%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Mundelein, IL: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$654
Mundelein, IL
$1.2K 83.2% $544
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$318
Mundelein, IL
$416 30.7% $98
Eating Out
Mexico City
$204
Mundelein, IL
$295 44.9% $91
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$152
Mundelein, IL
$154 1.4% $2.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$124
Mundelein, IL
$276 122% $151
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$70
Mundelein, IL
$76 8.9% $6.2
Getting Around
Mexico City
$26
Mundelein, IL
$23 * 9.9% $2.5

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,025 in Mexico City and $1,483 in Mundelein, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Mexico City vs $54.0 in Mundelein, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $416 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇺🇸 Mundelein, IL
🕒 Local time
22:51 10:51 PM
23:51 11:51 PM
1 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
31,560
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Mundelein, IL 2,750 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Mundelein, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mundelein, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Mundelein, IL?
Mexico City and Mundelein, IL differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($1,548 vs $2,438 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Mundelein, IL?
You'd need roughly $2,322 in Mexico City and $3,658 in Mundelein, IL 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and in Mundelein, IL?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,025 in Mexico City versus $1,483 in Mundelein, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Mundelein, IL?
Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $1,713 in Mundelein, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $54.0 in Mundelein, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,548 in Mexico City versus $2,438 in Mundelein, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Mundelein, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Mundelein, IL?
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.
Is Mexico City or Mundelein, IL safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Mundelein, IL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Mundelein, IL?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Mundelein, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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