Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Oak Lawn, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Oak Lawn, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,481 in Mexico City versus $2,524 in Oak Lawn, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,352 in Mexico City versus $3,612 in Oak Lawn, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,222 in Mexico City versus $4,699 in Oak Lawn, IL.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 41% less than in Oak Lawn, IL, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Oak Lawn, IL 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 MX$229

$18.77 $18.77

-29.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$932

$65.1 $65.1

-17.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$166

$10.13 $10.13

-5.73%

Cappuccino

$3.72 MX$64.8

$5.12 $5.12

-27.34%

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

$1.57 MX$27.28

$3.08 $3.08

-49.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.12

$2.25 $2.25

-48.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.4

$4.97 $4.97

-36.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.6

$6.98 $6.98

-33.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.82 $0.82

108.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$45.54

$3.24 $3.24

-19.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.87

$3.24 $3.24

-41.67%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.17

$4.18 $4.18

-37.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 MX$172

$10.15 $10.15

-2.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 MX$143

$8.61 $8.61

-4.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 MX$205

$13.48 $13.48

-12.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MX$52.1

$3.35 $3.35

-10.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.32

$1.12 $1.12

60.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.08

$3.23 $3.23

-35.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.23

$3.40 $3.40

-42.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.05

$2.18 $2.18

-5.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.84

$1.08 $1.08

100.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.41

$1.90 $1.90

-26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.96 $1.96

-45.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MX$71.7

$9.89 $9.89

-58.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MX$303

$10.11 $10.11

72.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.16

$1.82 $1.82

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 MX$63.5

$3.42 $3.42

6.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$2.03 $2.03

-81.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$326

$50.9 $50.9

-63.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.13

$2.82 $2.82

-52.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.27

$1.63 $1.63

-81.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 MX$95.9

$21.22 $21.22

-74.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$0.79 $0.79

65.82%

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

$19.2K MX$333.5K

$15.5K $15.5K

23.36%

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

$23.7K MX$413.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

-8.92%

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

$41.14 MX$716

$186 $186

-77.92%

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

$27.74 MX$483

$47.34 $47.34

-41.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.13 MX$524

$63.8 $63.8

-52.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 MX$935

$42.94 $42.94

25.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$452

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 MX$113

$14.45 $14.45

-55.09%

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

$437 MX$7,598

$1,814 $1,814

-75.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.0K

$24.1K $24.1K

-56.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,015

$43.06 $43.06

35.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 MX$798

$44.83 $44.83

2.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,765

$80.4 $80.4

26.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,854

$105 $105

1.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 MX$17.5K

$1,574 $1,574

-36.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 MX$11.0K

$1,366 $1,366

-53.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 MX$37.4K

$2,631 $2,631

-18.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MX$21.7K

$2,255 $2,255

-44.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.2K

$2,880 $2,880

33.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 MX$36.3K

$2,390 $2,390

-12.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.55

73.13%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Last update for Oak Lawn, IL: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,005 in Mexico City and $1,574 in Oak Lawn, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $65.0 in Oak Lawn, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $314 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 Oak Lawn, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Oak Lawn, IL differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($1,481 vs $2,524 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,222 in Mexico City and $3,786 in Oak Lawn, 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,005 in Mexico City versus $1,574 in Oak Lawn, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 172% less than in Oak Lawn, IL. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $437 in Mexico City versus $1,814 in Oak Lawn, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,481 in Mexico City versus $2,524 in Oak Lawn, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Oak Lawn, IL. 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 70% less than in Oak Lawn, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.