Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Topeka, KS Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Topeka, KS

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,965 in Topeka, KS.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $2,950 in Topeka, KS.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $3,935 in Topeka, KS.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 16% less than in Topeka, KS, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 20% above, Topeka, KS 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$14.95 $14.95

-19.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$53.2 $53.2

-1.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$11.76 $11.76

-7.31%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$3.48 $3.48

16.38%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$2.28 $2.28

-24.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$1.72 $1.72

-19.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$4.55 $4.55

-23.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$7.56 $7.56

-23.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$0.82 $0.82

125.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$2.80 $2.80

15.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$3.05 $3.05

-31.48%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$3.95 $3.95

-26.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$8.89 $8.89

40.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$8.96 $8.96

12.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$17.38 $17.38

-8.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$4.93 $4.93

-32.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$1.59 $1.59

33.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$5.09 $5.09

-56.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$4.30 $4.30

-43.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$3.06 $3.06

-28.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$2.54 $2.54

-25.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$1.84 $1.84

-11.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$0.80 $0.80

68.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$9.12 $9.12

-40.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$11.97 $11.97

46.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$1.83 $1.83

13.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$1.70 $1.70

179.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$3.95 $3.95

-91.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

$49.81 $49.81

-56.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

$2.80 $2.80

-27.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$1.52 $1.52

-61.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$33.84 $33.84

-82.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.83 $0.83

95.18%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

$24.1K $24.1K

-5.28%

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.02%

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$125 $125

-47.81%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$50.3 $50.3

-40.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$64.5 $64.5

-43.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$45.32 $45.32

34.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$15.40 $15.40

73.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$15.20 $15.20

-54.93%

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

$453 MX$7,664

$443 $443

2.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$38.43 $38.43

95.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$27.90 $27.90

98.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$91.9 $91.9

23.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$79.9 $79.9

53.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$770 $770

47.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$860 $860

-17.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

$1,313 $1,313

95.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$1,490 $1,490

-11.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$1,281 $1,281

211.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$1,369 $1,369

53.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$3,592 $3,592

-70.85%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Topeka, KS: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $770 in Topeka, KS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Topeka, KS pays 243% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $53.0 in Topeka, KS. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $332, with Topeka, KS 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 Topeka, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Topeka, KS differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $1,965 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 243% lower in Topeka, KS. 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $770 in Topeka, KS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 131% less than in Topeka, KS. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $443 in Topeka, KS. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,965 in Topeka, KS, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Topeka, KS. 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 19% less than in Topeka, KS. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.