Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Springfield, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Springfield, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,433 in Springfield, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $3,857 in Springfield, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $5,281 in Springfield, IL.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 40% less than in Springfield, IL, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 10% above, Springfield, IL 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$15.87 $15.87

-16.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$49.66 $49.66

8.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$11.21 $11.21

-15.97%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$4.61 $4.61

-22.99%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$2.73 $2.73

-40.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$1.52 $1.52

-26.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$4.93 $4.93

-36.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$4.59 $4.59

0.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$0.76 $0.76

123.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$3.07 $3.07

-11.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$5.39 $5.39

-64.56%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$3.21 $3.21

-20.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$8.92 $8.92

12.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$10.65 $10.65

-24.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$14.58 $14.58

-20.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$5.02 $5.02

-40.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.14 $1.14

58.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$5.74 $5.74

-64.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$3.25 $3.25

-37.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.99 $1.99

6.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$2.60 $2.60

-12.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.83 $1.83

-23.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.28 $1.28

-11.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$9.27 $9.27

-53.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$10.90 $10.90

42.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.29 $1.29

36.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.63 $1.63

120.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$1.98 $1.98

-80.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$39.34 $39.34

-51.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$2.03 $2.03

-32.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.68 $1.68

-83.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$34.12 $34.12

-84.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.86 $0.86

51.16%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$33.3K $33.3K

-43.81%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$25.7K $25.7K

-10.04%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$195 $195

-79.06%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$63.4 $63.4

-57.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$73.1 $73.1

-59.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$42.67 $42.67

21.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$12.46 $12.46

-49.44%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$1,799 $1,799

-75.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$27.1K $27.1K

-61.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$47.06 $47.06

20.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$41.53 $41.53

6.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$98.1 $98.1

4.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$126 $126

-16.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$911 $911

12.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$1,181 $1,181

-46.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$2,087 $2,087

2.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$2,669 $2,669

-53.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$3,154 $3,154

23.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,168 $1,168

76.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$3,878 $3,878

-71.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.47

107.31%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Springfield, IL: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $911 in Springfield, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Springfield, IL pays 248% 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 $50.0 in Springfield, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $288 vs $333, with Mexico City 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 Springfield, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Springfield, IL differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $2,433 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Springfield, IL earns 248% less. 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $911 in Springfield, 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 105% less than in Springfield, IL. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $1,799 in Springfield, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,433 in Springfield, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Springfield, 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 66% less than in Springfield, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.