Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and San Dimas, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and San Dimas, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,481 in Mexico City versus $2,536 in San Dimas, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,352 in Mexico City versus $3,808 in San Dimas, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,222 in Mexico City versus $5,080 in San Dimas, CA.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 42% less than in San Dimas, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, San Dimas, CA 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 MX$229

$18.25 $18.25

-27.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$932

$81.6 $81.6

-34.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$166

$8.94 $8.94

6.82%

Cappuccino

$3.72 MX$64.8

$5.22 $5.22

-28.74%

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

$1.57 MX$27.28

$3.48 $3.48

-54.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.12

$2.19 $2.19

-47.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.4

$7.01 $7.01

-54.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.6

$7.55 $7.55

-38.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.16 $1.16

47.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$45.54

$4.12 $4.12

-36.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.87

$4.61 $4.61

-59.00%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.17

$3.80 $3.80

-31.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 MX$172

$12.29 $12.29

-19.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 MX$143

$16.21 $16.21

-49.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 MX$205

$15.48 $15.48

-23.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MX$52.1

$4.44 $4.44

-32.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.32

$1.68 $1.68

7.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.08

$5.15 $5.15

-59.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.23

$5.54 $5.54

-64.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.05

$3.18 $3.18

-34.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.84

$2.84 $2.84

-23.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.41

$2.09 $2.09

-33.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$2.10 $2.10

-49.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MX$71.7

$11.02 $11.02

-62.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MX$303

$15.81 $15.81

10.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.16

$1.97 $1.97

-14.72%

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

$2.02 $2.02

-81.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$326

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.13

$6.70 $6.70

-80.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.27

$1.57 $1.57

-80.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 MX$95.9

$28.66 $28.66

-80.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$1.30 $1.30

0.77%

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

$19.2K MX$333.5K

$25.6K $25.6K

-25.02%

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

$23.7K MX$413.3K

$29.4K $29.4K

-19.29%

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

$41.14 MX$716

$156 $156

-73.70%

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

$27.74 MX$483

$54.6 $54.6

-49.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.13 MX$524

$57.4 $57.4

-47.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 MX$935

$42.75 $42.75

25.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$452

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 MX$113

$15.11 $15.11

-57.05%

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

$437 MX$7,598

$1,493 $1,493

-70.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.0K

$23.3K $23.3K

-55.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,015

$46.75 $46.75

24.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 MX$798

$33.38 $33.38

37.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,765

$101 $101

0.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,854

$100 $100

6.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 MX$17.5K

$1,608 $1,608

-37.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 MX$11.0K

$1,346 $1,346

-52.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 MX$37.4K

$2,612 $2,612

-17.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MX$21.7K

$2,218 $2,218

-43.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.2K

$3,014 $3,014

28.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 MX$36.3K

$2,455 $2,455

-15.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MX$18.7K

$4,067 $4,067

-73.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.64

70.78%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Last update for San Dimas, CA: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,005 in Mexico City and $1,608 in San Dimas, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Dimas, CA pays 279% 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 $82.0 in San Dimas, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $428 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 San Dimas, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and San Dimas, CA differ by about 71% in total monthly costs ($1,481 vs $2,536 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 279% lower in San Dimas, CA. 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: $1,005 in Mexico City versus $1,608 in San Dimas, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $437 in Mexico City versus $1,493 in San Dimas, CA. 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 $82.0 in San Dimas, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,481 in Mexico City versus $2,536 in San Dimas, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in San Dimas, CA. 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 San Dimas, CA 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 71% less than in San Dimas, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.