Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Upland, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Upland, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $2,396 in Upland, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $3,456 in Upland, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $4,517 in Upland, CA.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 8% above, Upland, CA 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$15.28 $15.28

-15.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$68.7 $68.7

-23.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$11.80 $11.80

-20.08%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.01 $2.01

77.61%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.97 $1.97

-18.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$2.05 $2.05

-43.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$7.04 $7.04

-55.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$7.78 $7.78

-37.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.12 $1.12

51.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.60 $1.60

65.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.22 $2.22

-14.41%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$3.89 $3.89

-34.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$8.69 $8.69

16.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$6.46 $6.46

28.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$11.12 $11.12

4.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$4.34 $4.34

-30.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.72 $1.72

-0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$3.39 $3.39

-39.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$5.72 $5.72

-63.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$2.18 $2.18

-5.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.70 $2.70

-19.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$2.03 $2.03

-31.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$2.18 $2.18

-48.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$11.08 $11.08

-61.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$12.20 $12.20

26.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.00 $2.00

-16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.29 $1.29

186.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$1.95 $1.95

-80.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$6.76 $6.76

-79.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.66 $1.66

-83.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$29.68 $29.68

-81.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.08 $1.08

18.52%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$25.9K $25.9K

-26.83%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$29.2K $29.2K

-19.76%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$159 $159

-74.28%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$53.6 $53.6

-49.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$59.0 $59.0

-49.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$43.53 $43.53

20.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$12.20 $12.20

-49.34%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$1,473 $1,473

-71.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$23.8K $23.8K

-55.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$46.95 $46.95

21.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$33.08 $33.08

35.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$86.8 $86.8

20.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$104 $104

2.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$1,522 $1,522

-34.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$1,344 $1,344

-53.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$2,623 $2,623

-18.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$2,235 $2,235

-43.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$5,235 $5,235

-78.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

126.80%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Upland, CA: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $1,522 in Upland, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Upland, CA pays 373% 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 $69.0 in Upland, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $301 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 Upland, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Upland, CA differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $2,396 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Upland, CA earns 373% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $1,522 in Upland, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $1,473 in Upland, CA. 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 $69.0 in Upland, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $2,396 in Upland, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Upland, CA. 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 Upland, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.