Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Scranton, PA Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Scranton, PA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,668 in Mexico City versus $2,076 in Scranton, PA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $3,006 in Scranton, PA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,557 in Mexico City versus $3,935 in Scranton, PA.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 20% less than in Scranton, PA, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 24% above, Scranton, PA 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.03 MX$216

$11.98 $11.98

0.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 MX$949

$78.5 $78.5

-32.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 MX$210

$6.17 $6.17

89.47%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$69.6

$4.56 $4.56

-15.13%

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

$1.75 MX$31.45

$1.52 $1.52

15.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$25.06

$0.97 $0.97

43.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 MX$60.4

$6.70 $6.70

-49.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MX$104

$7.38 $7.38

-21.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$32.45

$0.74 $0.74

144.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$55.4

$1.44 $1.44

113.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 MX$38.27

$2.20 $2.20

-3.18%

Eggs

$2.98 MX$53.5

$3.38 $3.38

-11.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 MX$225

$11.10 $11.10

12.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 MX$184

$8.63 $8.63

18.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 MX$286

$11.12 $11.12

43.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$60.8

$3.57 $3.57

-5.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 MX$37.85

$1.32 $1.32

59.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$38.22

$3.24 $3.24

-34.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$44.33

$4.47 $4.47

-44.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$36.62

$2.91 $2.91

-29.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.18

$3.21 $3.21

-37.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MX$28.61

$2.04 $2.04

-22.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.89

$0.96 $0.96

38.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 MX$98.6

$6.26 $6.26

-12.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 MX$315

$11.88 $11.88

47.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$36.20

$2.92 $2.92

-31.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$85.2

$4.69 $4.69

1.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.03

$1.79 $1.79

-81.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$379

$60.7 $60.7

-65.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$36.88

$3.28 $3.28

-37.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.93

$2.04 $2.04

-70.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 MX$102

$24.50 $24.50

-76.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$28.56

$1.04 $1.04

52.88%

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

$22.9K MX$411.3K

$34.9K $34.9K

-34.37%

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

$26.4K MX$473.9K

$25.8K $25.8K

2.22%

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

$64.2 MX$1,154

$238 $238

-73.05%

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

$29.42 MX$529

$40.42 $40.42

-27.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MX$662

$49.36 $49.36

-25.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 MX$1,055

$29.73 $29.73

97.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$477

$16.01 $16.01

65.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 MX$125

$12.73 $12.73

-45.40%

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

$463 MX$8,316

$767 $767

-39.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$240.1K

$17.5K $17.5K

-23.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 MX$1,355

$44.70 $44.70

68.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MX$974

$29.80 $29.80

81.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,997

$71.8 $71.8

54.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,195

$83.1 $83.1

47.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 MX$20.4K

$1,228 $1,228

-7.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 MX$12.5K

$1,013 $1,013

-31.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 MX$43.9K

$1,580 $1,580

54.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 MX$23.4K

$1,505 $1,505

-13.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,910 MX$70.2K

$1,631 $1,631

139.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$37.2K

$1,531 $1,531

35.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.9K

$3,305 $3,305

-68.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.03

87.40%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Last update for Scranton, PA: September 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,133 in Mexico City and $1,228 in Scranton, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Scranton, PA pays 214% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $79.0 in Scranton, PA. Groceries flip the comparison at $343 vs $298, with Scranton, PA cheaper for home cooking.

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 Scranton, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Scranton, PA differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,668 vs $2,076 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 214% lower in Scranton, PA. 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: $1,133 in Mexico City versus $1,228 in Scranton, PA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 188% less than in Scranton, PA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $463 in Mexico City versus $767 in Scranton, PA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,668 in Mexico City versus $2,076 in Scranton, PA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Scranton, PA. 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 25% less than in Scranton, PA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.