๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,121 in Mexico versus $2,686 in Us Virgin Islands.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,790 in Mexico versus $4,123 in Us Virgin Islands.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,459 in Mexico versus $5,559 in Us Virgin Islands.
๐Living in Mexico costs about 58% less than in Us Virgin Islands on average.
๐Mexico (16% below) and Us Virgin Islands (100% above) straddle the global median.
๐Internal cost variation is higher in Us Virgin Islands: monthly costs span $0 to $5,779, compared to $708โ$2,335 in Mexico. City choice carries more weight in Us Virgin Islands.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Mexico
Us Virgin Islands
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.78MX$187
$25.08$25.08
-57.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.75MX$724
$125$125
-66.62%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.88MX$137
$11.01$11.01
-28.43%
Cappuccino
$3.28MX$56.8
$7.07$7.07
-53.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33MX$22.97
$2.85$2.85
-53.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99MX$17.09
$2.02$2.02
-50.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.31MX$40.07
$6.03$6.03
-61.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.31MX$74.7
$7.17$7.17
-39.89%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Mexico
Us Virgin Islands
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.45MX$25.13
$2.75$2.75
-47.27%
White Bread(500g)
$2.55MX$44.27
$5.92$5.92
-56.93%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.69MX$29.24
$9.86$9.86
-82.86%
Eggs
$2.47MX$42.73
$6.90$6.90
-64.20%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.38MX$145
$17.77$17.77
-52.84%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.48MX$130
$26.08$26.08
-71.32%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.94MX$190
$28.18$28.18
-61.18%
Apples(1kg)
$2.70MX$46.86
$9.60$9.60
-71.88%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51MX$26.20
$3.88$3.88
-61.08%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.85MX$32.08
$7.63$7.63
-75.75%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.78MX$30.79
$8.02$8.02
-77.81%
Potato(1kg)
$1.97MX$34.13
$4.80$4.80
-58.96%
Onion(1kg)
$2.03MX$35.19
$4.94$4.94
-58.91%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.32MX$22.85
$4.49$4.49
-70.60%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05MX$18.26
$3.89$3.89
-73.01%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30MX$74.6
$5.09$5.09
-15.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.60MX$201
$19.63$19.63
-40.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60MX$27.79
$3.32$3.32
-51.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06MX$53.1
$5.23$5.23
-41.49%
๐ Getting Around
Mexico
Us Virgin Islands
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.64MX$11.12
$3.89$3.89
-83.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.00MX$451
$142$142
-81.69%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.59MX$44.97
$20.24$20.24
-87.20%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.93MX$33.40
$3.05$3.05
-36.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.68MX$185
$14.89$14.89
-28.27%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.32MX$22.94
$1.32$1.32
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.2KMX$349.6K
$39.7K$39.7K
-49.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.8KMX$395.9K
$39.4K$39.4K
-41.96%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico
Us Virgin Islands
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$62.5MX$1,082
$312$312
-80.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.92MX$397
$111$111
-79.33%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.40MX$492
$88.6$88.6
-67.93%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Mexico
Us Virgin Islands
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.89MX$622
$104$104
-65.41%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.16MX$315
$36.80$36.80
-50.65%
Cinema Ticket
$4.63MX$80.3
$18.22$18.22
-74.59%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Mexico
Us Virgin Islands
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$256MX$4,433
$1,216$1,216
-78.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,566MX$96.5K
$18.1K$18.1K
-69.27%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Mexico
Us Virgin Islands
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.0MX$919
$69.5$69.5
-23.69%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.00MX$711
$43.07$43.07
-4.81%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$93.1MX$1,613
$100$100
-7.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5MX$1,498
$103$103
-15.76%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Mexico
Us Virgin Islands
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$645MX$11.2K
$1,761$1,761
-63.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$439MX$7,602
$1,528$1,528
-71.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,202MX$20.8K
$3,264$3,264
-63.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$864MX$15.0K
$3,767$3,767
-77.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,796MX$48.4K
$10.5K$10.5K
-73.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,604MX$27.8K
$10.8K$10.8K
-85.17%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Mexico
Us Virgin Islands
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$835MX$14.5K
$3,751$3,751
-77.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.45
7.15
60.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico: April 20, 2026
Last update for Us Virgin Islands: April 21, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ National rent averages: $530 in Mexico, $1,803 in Us Virgin Islands. Capital cities: $1,000 in Mexico City vs $2,002 in Charlotte Amalie.
๐ฐNational salary averages: $775 in Mexico, $4,031 in Us Virgin Islands. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money โ weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
โญRent is 240% higher in Us Virgin Islands.
โญDining out costs 187% more in Us Virgin Islands.
โญPublic transport is 255% more expensive in Us Virgin Islands.
โญSalaries are 420% higher in Us Virgin Islands, giving Us Virgin Islands stronger purchasing power.
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 vs Us Virgin Islands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Mexico and Us Virgin Islands?
At $1,522 per month in Mexico and $2,890 in Us Virgin Islands, there's a 90% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city โ the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Mexico is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Us Virgin Islands beats Mexico across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Mexico or Us Virgin Islands?
In Mexico, $2,500 covers most cities easily. In Us Virgin Islands, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital โ you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Mexico or Us Virgin Islands?
It depends on what you're after. Mexico wins on affordability; Us Virgin Islands may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.