Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Salem, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Salem, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,682 in Mexico City versus $3,388 in Salem, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,599 in Mexico City versus $4,705 in Salem, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,516 in Mexico City versus $6,022 in Salem, MA.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 50% less than in Salem, MA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 23% above, Salem, MA 147% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$202

$25.25 $25.25

-53.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$890

$100 $100

-48.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$185

$11.07 $11.07

-1.81%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.7

$5.05 $5.05

-20.20%

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

$1.71 MX$29.18

$2.52 $2.52

-32.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.85

$2.11 $2.11

-36.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.9

$8.11 $8.11

-58.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$98.0

$6.97 $6.97

-17.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$32.20

$1.29 $1.29

46.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$54.1

$4.53 $4.53

-30.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.96

$4.32 $4.32

-52.55%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.4

$4.21 $4.21

-28.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$215

$14.15 $14.15

-10.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$170

$11.60 $11.60

-14.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$273

$16.77 $16.77

-4.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$56.0

$4.59 $4.59

-28.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.10

$1.28 $1.28

60.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.59

$4.47 $4.47

-53.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.72

$4.77 $4.77

-47.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.99

$4.40 $4.40

-53.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.91

$2.93 $2.93

-36.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.84

$2.45 $2.45

-35.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.79

$2.22 $2.22

-37.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.8

$10.16 $10.16

-47.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$306

$13.18 $13.18

36.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.54

$2.00 $2.00

1.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$81.2

$3.51 $3.51

35.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.17

$1.98 $1.98

-81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$355

$56.0 $56.0

-62.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$35.15

$2.98 $2.98

-30.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.61

$1.78 $1.78

-68.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$99.2

$28.21 $28.21

-79.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.22

$0.88 $0.88

75.00%

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

$22.5K MX$383.1K

$36.1K $36.1K

-37.70%

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

$26.5K MX$451.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

1.94%

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

$66.0 MX$1,125

$203 $203

-67.54%

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

$30.98 MX$528

$59.1 $59.1

-47.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$617

$66.0 $66.0

-45.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$981

$42.78 $42.78

34.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$122

$14.86 $14.86

-52.02%

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

$457 MX$7,789

$1,433 $1,433

-68.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$226.0K

$23.2K $23.2K

-42.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,293

$71.0 $71.0

6.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$923

$57.4 $57.4

-5.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,987

$95.7 $95.7

21.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,076

$98.1 $98.1

24.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.6K

$2,341 $2,341

-50.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.4K

$1,955 $1,955

-62.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.7K

$3,603 $3,603

-30.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.7K

$2,849 $2,849

-53.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.4K

$2,715 $2,715

43.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.7K

$2,396 $2,396

-10.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.2K

$9,399 $9,399

-88.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

6.12

85.46%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Salem, MA: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Mexico City and $2,341 in Salem, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salem, MA pays 779% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $100 in Salem, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $414 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 Salem, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Salem, MA differ by about 101% in total monthly costs ($1,682 vs $3,388 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 779% lower in Salem, MA. 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: $1,147 in Mexico City versus $2,341 in Salem, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 169% less than in Salem, MA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $457 in Mexico City versus $1,433 in Salem, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,682 in Mexico City versus $3,388 in Salem, MA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Salem, MA. 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Salem, MA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Salem, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.