Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Waco, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Waco, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,682 in Mexico City versus $2,416 in Waco, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,599 in Mexico City versus $3,044 in Waco, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,516 in Mexico City versus $3,671 in Waco, TX.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 30% less than in Waco, TX, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 23% above, Waco, TX 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$14.95 $14.95

-20.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$60.2 $60.2

-13.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$10.38 $10.38

4.72%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$5.65 $5.65

-28.67%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$1.72 $1.72

-0.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$1.47 $1.47

-8.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$5.07 $5.07

-33.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$5.53 $5.53

3.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$0.81 $0.81

133.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$3.18 $3.18

-0.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$1.98 $1.98

3.54%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$2.80 $2.80

7.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$12.26 $12.26

2.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$9.52 $9.52

4.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$11.90 $11.90

34.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$3.84 $3.84

-14.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$1.18 $1.18

74.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$3.77 $3.77

-44.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$3.60 $3.60

-30.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$2.31 $2.31

-11.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$2.90 $2.90

-35.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$1.76 $1.76

-10.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$0.99 $0.99

40.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$8.77 $8.77

-38.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

$13.89 $13.89

29.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$1.78 $1.78

13.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$3.94 $3.94

20.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

$1.54 $1.54

-76.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

$40.23 $40.23

-48.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$10.13 $10.13

-79.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

$1.90 $1.90

-70.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

$59.6 $59.6

-90.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$0.83 $0.83

85.54%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$35.6K $35.6K

-36.98%

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$25.1K $25.1K

5.49%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$181 $181

-63.56%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$37.18 $37.18

-16.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$50.9 $50.9

-28.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$27.41 $27.41

109.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$9.22 $9.22

-22.67%

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

$457 MX$7,738

$834 $834

-45.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

$17.7K $17.7K

-25.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$48.37 $48.37

56.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$38.60 $38.60

40.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$82.3 $82.3

41.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$96.6 $96.6

26.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$1,247 $1,247

-7.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

$1,322 $1,322

-45.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

$1,577 $1,577

58.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

$1,363 $1,363

-2.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

$1,959 $1,959

98.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

$1,940 $1,940

10.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$3,185 $3,185

-66.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

6.03

88.23%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Waco, TX: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Mexico City and $1,247 in Waco, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Waco, TX pays 198% 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 $60.0 in Waco, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $344 vs $315, with Waco, TX 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 Waco, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Waco, TX differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($1,682 vs $2,416 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 198% lower in Waco, TX. 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: $1,147 in Mexico City versus $1,247 in Waco, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 93% less than in Waco, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $457 in Mexico City versus $834 in Waco, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,682 in Mexico City versus $2,416 in Waco, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Waco, TX. 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 44% less than in Waco, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.