Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Urbana, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Urbana, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,697 in Urbana, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $2,688 in Urbana, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $3,679 in Urbana, IL.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 1% less than in Urbana, IL, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 22% above, Urbana, IL 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$19.70 $19.70

-38.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$64.0 $64.0

-15.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$9.82 $9.82

12.93%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$5.59 $5.59

-26.65%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$2.16 $2.16

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$1.57 $1.57

-11.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$5.28 $5.28

-36.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$5.84 $5.84

0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$0.69 $0.69

168.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$2.34 $2.34

35.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$3.05 $3.05

-32.13%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.95 $2.95

-0.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$6.55 $6.55

92.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$9.00 $9.00

12.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$14.58 $14.58

10.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$3.86 $3.86

-12.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.28 $1.28

62.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$2.68 $2.68

-20.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$2.26 $2.26

6.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$2.18 $2.18

-2.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$2.92 $2.92

-31.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$2.92 $2.92

-46.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$1.38 $1.38

-1.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$7.19 $7.19

-19.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$8.53 $8.53

107.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.81 $1.81

14.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$1.33 $1.33

246.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$1.01 $1.01

-63.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$3.04 $3.04

-32.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.64 $0.64

-9.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$18.19 $18.19

-66.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.87 $0.87

78.16%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$36.4K $36.4K

-37.08%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$26.4K $26.4K

3.00%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$203 $203

-66.74%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$99.5 $99.5

-69.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$60.4 $60.4

-38.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$12.84 $12.84

-44.63%

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

$456 MX$7,739

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$75.6 $75.6

-1.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$42.31 $42.31

34.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$66.9 $66.9

72.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$89.9 $89.9

35.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$751 $751

52.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$586 $586

21.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$1,492 $1,492

72.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$1,345 $1,345

-3.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$1,639 $1,639

144.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$1,662 $1,662

28.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$6,746 $6,746

-83.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.3

79.37%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Urbana, IL: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $751 in Urbana, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Urbana, IL pays 523% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $64.0 in Urbana, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $281, with Urbana, IL 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 Urbana, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Urbana, IL differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $1,697 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 523% lower in Urbana, IL. 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $751 in Urbana, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $64.0 in Urbana, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,677 per month in Mexico City versus $1,697 in Urbana, IL – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,697 in Urbana, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Urbana, IL. 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 1% less than in Urbana, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.