Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Stafford, VA Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Stafford, VA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,668 in Mexico City versus $2,659 in Stafford, VA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $4,107 in Stafford, VA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,557 in Mexico City versus $5,556 in Stafford, VA.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 37% less than in Stafford, VA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 24% above, Stafford, VA 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.03 MX$216

$17.67 $17.67

-31.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 MX$949

$122 $122

-56.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 MX$210

$12.09 $12.09

-3.31%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$69.6

$5.65 $5.65

-31.50%

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

$1.75 MX$31.45

$3.25 $3.25

-46.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$25.06

$2.44 $2.44

-43.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 MX$60.4

$7.20 $7.20

-53.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MX$104

$9.85 $9.85

-41.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$32.45

$1.29 $1.29

40.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$55.4

$3.06 $3.06

0.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 MX$38.27

$7.26 $7.26

-70.66%

Eggs

$2.98 MX$53.5

$4.90 $4.90

-39.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 MX$225

$16.81 $16.81

-25.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 MX$184

$11.12 $11.12

-7.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 MX$286

$19.31 $19.31

-17.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$60.8

$7.16 $7.16

-52.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 MX$37.85

$2.31 $2.31

-8.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$38.22

$5.04 $5.04

-57.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$44.33

$5.93 $5.93

-58.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$36.62

$2.79 $2.79

-26.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.18

$3.85 $3.85

-47.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MX$28.61

$2.65 $2.65

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.89

$2.67 $2.67

-50.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 MX$98.6

$13.67 $13.67

-59.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 MX$315

$16.05 $16.05

9.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$36.20

$3.32 $3.32

-39.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$85.2

$5.65 $5.65

-16.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.03

$2.02 $2.02

-83.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$379

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$36.88

$4.06 $4.06

-49.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.93

$1.62 $1.62

-62.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 MX$102

$24.90 $24.90

-77.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$28.56

$1.03 $1.03

54.37%

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

$22.9K MX$411.3K

$36.3K $36.3K

-36.96%

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

$26.4K MX$473.9K

$26.5K $26.5K

-0.51%

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

$64.2 MX$1,154

$140 $140

-54.05%

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

$29.42 MX$529

$78.7 $78.7

-62.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MX$662

$76.3 $76.3

-51.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 MX$1,055

$43.33 $43.33

35.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$477

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 MX$125

$17.80 $17.80

-60.96%

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

$463 MX$8,316

$1,405 $1,405

-67.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$240.1K

$40.9K $40.9K

-67.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 MX$1,355

$72.6 $72.6

3.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MX$974

$44.94 $44.94

20.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,997

$106 $106

5.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,195

$124 $124

-1.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 MX$20.4K

$1,567 $1,567

-27.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 MX$12.5K

$1,315 $1,315

-46.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 MX$43.9K

$2,592 $2,592

-5.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 MX$23.4K

$2,336 $2,336

-44.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,910 MX$70.2K

$2,585 $2,585

51.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$37.2K

$2,397 $2,397

-13.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.9K

$7,449 $7,449

-85.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

88.33%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Last update for Stafford, VA: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,133 in Mexico City and $1,567 in Stafford, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stafford, VA pays 608% 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 $122 in Stafford, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 vs $474 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 Stafford, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Stafford, VA differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($1,668 vs $2,659 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 608% lower in Stafford, VA. 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 $1,567 in Stafford, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $463 in Mexico City versus $1,405 in Stafford, VA. 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 $53.0 versus $122 in Stafford, VA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,668 in Mexico City versus $2,659 in Stafford, VA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Stafford, VA. 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 59% less than in Stafford, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.