Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Prescott, AZ

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $2,700 in Prescott, AZ, rent and utilities included – about $13,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Prescott, AZ
🇺🇸 United States
$2,700
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Prescott, AZ

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 Prescott, AZ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,548 in Mexico City versus $2,700 in Prescott, AZ.

  • Mexico City $1,548
  • Prescott, AZ $2,700

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,436 in Mexico City versus $3,713 in Prescott, AZ.

  • Mexico City $2,436
  • Prescott, AZ $3,713

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,323 in Mexico City versus $4,725 in Prescott, AZ.

  • Mexico City $3,323
  • Prescott, AZ $4,725

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 43% less than in Prescott, AZ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 14% above, Prescott, AZ 99% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Prescott, AZ
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.02 MX$204
$17.46 $17.46
-36.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.68 MX$900
$73.0 $73.0
-33.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.90 MX$201
$12.79 $12.79
-14.78%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.1
$5.34 $5.34
-31.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 MX$30.18
$1.72 $1.72
-5.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 MX$23.07
$1.67 $1.67
-25.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.25 MX$60.1
$6.59 $6.59
-50.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.53 MX$102
$7.42 $7.42
-25.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Prescott, AZ
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$31.50
$0.95 $0.95
78.95%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$3.25 $3.25
-7.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.53
$4.97 $4.97
-61.37%
Eggs
$2.73 MX$50.5
$4.72 $4.72
-42.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.77 MX$218
$13.77 $13.77
-14.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 MX$176
$11.43 $11.43
-16.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.41 MX$266
$17.05 $17.05
-15.48%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$4.40 $4.40
-31.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.01
$1.26 $1.26
50.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.70
$3.89 $3.89
-48.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$40.38
$3.80 $3.80
-42.37%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.43
$2.50 $2.50
-23.20%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 MX$34.49
$2.93 $2.93
-36.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 MX$26.62
$2.09 $2.09
-31.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.39
$2.13 $2.13
-40.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22 MX$96.4
$10.99 $10.99
-52.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.17 MX$299
$12.93 $12.93
25.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 MX$35.03
$1.70 $1.70
11.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 MX$78.0
$3.62 $3.62
16.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Prescott, AZ
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 MX$6.30
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.65 MX$363
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.00 MX$36.90
$2.68 $2.68
-25.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 MX$9.67
$1.34 $1.34
-61.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.34 MX$98.7
$35.82 $35.82
-85.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$28.13
$1.00 $1.00
52.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1K MX$408.0K
$36.0K $36.0K
-38.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K MX$452.9K
$26.0K $26.0K
-5.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Prescott, AZ
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.1 MX$1,129
$195 $195
-68.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.58 MX$528
$48.50 $48.50
-41.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.47 MX$637
$74.9 $74.9
-54.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Prescott, AZ
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,042
$50.7 $50.7
11.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.88 MX$460
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.66 MX$123
$12.57 $12.57
-47.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Prescott, AZ
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$427 MX$7,891
$369 $369
15.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K MX$215.0K
$15.4K $15.4K
-24.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Prescott, AZ
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.8 MX$1,253
$56.1 $56.1
20.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.0 MX$960
$43.35 $43.35
19.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 MX$1,959
$82.4 $82.4
28.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 MX$2,080
$112 $112
0.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Prescott, AZ
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,025 MX$18.9K
$1,380 $1,380
-25.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$654 MX$12.1K
$1,478 $1,478
-55.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,308 MX$42.7K
$2,436 $2,436
-5.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,242 MX$22.9K
$2,039 $2,039
-39.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,613 MX$66.8K
$4,387 $4,387
-17.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,936 MX$35.8K
$3,715 $3,715
-47.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Prescott, AZ
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$964 MX$17.8K
$3,946 $3,946
-75.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
6.22
81.67%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Prescott, AZ: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$654
Prescott, AZ
$1.5K 126% $823
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$318
Prescott, AZ
$383 20.5% $65
Eating Out
Mexico City
$204
Prescott, AZ
$303 48.8% $100
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$152
Prescott, AZ
$132 13.1% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$124
Prescott, AZ
$318 157% $194
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$70
Prescott, AZ
$76 8.8% $6.2
Getting Around
Mexico City
$26
Prescott, AZ
$9.4 * 63.3% $16

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 $1,380 in Prescott, AZ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Prescott, AZ pays 309% 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: $49.00 in Mexico City vs $73.0 in Prescott, AZ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $383 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇺🇸 Prescott, AZ
🕒 Local time
05:40 5:40 AM
04:40 4:40 AM
1 h behind Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
45,827
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Prescott, AZ 2,130 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Prescott, AZ

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 Prescott, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Prescott, AZ?
Mexico City and Prescott, AZ differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($1,548 vs $2,700 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 309% lower in Prescott, AZ. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and in Prescott, AZ?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,025 in Mexico City versus $1,380 in Prescott, AZ. 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 Prescott, AZ?
Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $369 in Prescott, AZ. 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 $73.0 in Prescott, AZ. 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 $2,700 in Prescott, AZ, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Prescott, AZ. 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 Prescott, AZ?
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.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Prescott, AZ?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Prescott, AZ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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