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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,919 in Topeka, KS.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,342 in Mexico City versus $3,043 in Topeka, KS.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,199 in Mexico City versus $4,167 in Topeka, KS.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 23% less than in Topeka, KS, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 10% above, Topeka, KS 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.29 MX$231

$13.29 $13.29

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$933

$53.6 $53.6

0.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 MX$161

$9.80 $9.80

-5.20%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$3.58 $3.58

0.84%

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

$1.56 MX$27.03

$2.22 $2.22

-29.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.46

$1.57 $1.57

-28.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 MX$54.3

$5.11 $5.11

-38.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 MX$81.7

$5.91 $5.91

-20.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.54

$0.84 $0.84

102.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 MX$48.03

$3.11 $3.11

-10.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.05

$2.19 $2.19

-10.50%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.21

$4.44 $4.44

-41.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 MX$173

$8.77 $8.77

13.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 MX$141

$10.83 $10.83

-25.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.50 MX$200

$12.78 $12.78

-10.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MX$49.84

$5.44 $5.44

-47.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.07

$1.95 $1.95

-11.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.73

$4.67 $4.67

-57.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$4.28 $4.28

-52.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.14

$3.75 $3.75

-44.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 MX$38.12

$2.47 $2.47

-10.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.24

$1.81 $1.81

-19.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.02 $1.02

4.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.2

$9.17 $9.17

-53.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 MX$249

$11.85 $11.85

20.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.62

$1.76 $1.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 MX$64.2

$1.66 $1.66

122.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.12

$4.63 $4.63

-92.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$333

$50.6 $50.6

-62.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 MX$23.18

$2.80 $2.80

-52.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.83

$1.35 $1.35

-79.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MX$92.6

$32.88 $32.88

-83.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.76 $0.76

76.32%

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

$19.1K MX$332.0K

$24.0K $24.0K

-20.48%

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

$23.9K MX$414.5K

$24.8K $24.8K

-3.80%

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

$39.86 MX$692

$113 $113

-64.72%

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

$26.78 MX$465

$48.84 $48.84

-45.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.36 MX$510

$64.1 $64.1

-54.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$927

$58.0 $58.0

-7.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.09 MX$453

$15.45 $15.45

68.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$111

$12.31 $12.31

-48.01%

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

$440 MX$7,647

$441 $441

-0.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K MX$186.6K

$23.9K $23.9K

-55.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 MX$1,000

$22.10 $22.10

160.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.02 MX$781

$19.67 $19.67

128.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,801

$72.2 $72.2

43.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,874

$79.8 $79.8

35.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 MX$17.6K

$753 $753

34.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MX$10.9K

$870 $870

-27.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,162 MX$37.5K

$1,856 $1,856

16.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 MX$21.2K

$1,763 $1,763

-30.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,793 MX$65.8K

$1,353 $1,353

180.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.5K

$1,337 $1,337

74.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 MX$18.7K

$3,458 $3,458

-68.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.11

85.60%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 11, 2026

Last update for Topeka, KS: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,013 in Mexico City and $753 in Topeka, KS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Topeka, KS pays 222% 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 $54 in Topeka, KS for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $335 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 Topeka, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Topeka, KS differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $1,919 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Topeka, KS earns 222% 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 $753 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 164% less than in Topeka, KS. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $440 in Mexico City versus $441 in Topeka, KS. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,919 in Topeka, KS, a $2,000 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 29% less than in Topeka, KS. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.