Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and State College, PA Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and State College, PA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,380 in State College, PA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,342 in Mexico City versus $3,477 in State College, PA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,199 in Mexico City versus $4,575 in State College, PA.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 38% less than in State College, PA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 10% above, State College, PA 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.29 MX$231

$18.03 $18.03

-26.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$933

$51.0 $51.0

5.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 MX$161

$8.86 $8.86

4.85%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$4.54 $4.54

-20.48%

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

$1.56 MX$27.03

$2.61 $2.61

-40.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.46

$2.04 $2.04

-45.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 MX$54.3

$4.90 $4.90

-36.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 MX$81.7

$7.03 $7.03

-33.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.54

$0.93 $0.93

82.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 MX$48.03

$3.47 $3.47

-20.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.05

$2.02 $2.02

-2.97%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.21

$3.92 $3.92

-33.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 MX$173

$9.92 $9.92

0.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 MX$141

$8.58 $8.58

-5.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.50 MX$200

$11.92 $11.92

-3.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MX$49.84

$3.70 $3.70

-22.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.07

$1.57 $1.57

10.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.73

$4.94 $4.94

-59.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$4.95 $4.95

-58.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.14

$2.03 $2.03

2.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 MX$38.12

$2.82 $2.82

-21.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.24

$2.07 $2.07

-29.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.50 $1.50

-28.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.2

$13.96 $13.96

-69.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 MX$249

$17.93 $17.93

-20.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.62

$1.78 $1.78

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 MX$64.2

$7.38 $7.38

-49.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.12

$2.26 $2.26

-84.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$333

$84.2 $84.2

-77.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 MX$23.18

$5.25 $5.25

-74.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.83

$2.30 $2.30

-87.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MX$92.6

$45.43 $45.43

-88.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.96 $0.96

39.58%

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

$19.1K MX$332.0K

$23.8K $23.8K

-19.59%

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

$23.9K MX$414.5K

$23.9K $23.9K

-0.01%

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

$39.86 MX$692

$161 $161

-75.19%

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

$26.78 MX$465

$39.79 $39.79

-32.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.36 MX$510

$60.9 $60.9

-51.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$927

$24.91 $24.91

114.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.09 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$111

$11.91 $11.91

-46.26%

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

$440 MX$7,647

$893 $893

-50.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K MX$186.6K

$28.5K $28.5K

-62.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 MX$1,000

$45.28 $45.28

27.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.02 MX$781

$40.18 $40.18

12.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,801

$80.8 $80.8

28.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,874

$115 $115

-5.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 MX$17.6K

$1,505 $1,505

-32.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MX$10.9K

$1,190 $1,190

-47.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,162 MX$37.5K

$2,837 $2,837

-23.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 MX$21.2K

$1,992 $1,992

-38.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,793 MX$65.8K

$2,623 $2,623

44.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.5K

$2,181 $2,181

6.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 MX$18.7K

$4,372 $4,372

-75.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.53

73.66%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 11, 2026

Last update for State College, PA: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,013 in Mexico City and $1,505 in State College, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

State College, PA pays 307% 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 in Mexico City vs $51 in State College, PA. Groceries flip the comparison at $285 vs $346, 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 State College, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and State College, PA differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $2,380 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, State College, PA earns 307% 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: $1,013 in Mexico City versus $1,505 in State College, 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 339% less than in State College, PA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $440 in Mexico City versus $893 in State College, PA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,380 in State College, PA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in State College, 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and State College, PA 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 60% less than in State College, PA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.