Cost of Living Comparison Between Montana and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Montana and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $862 in Montana versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Montana versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,937 in Montana versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Montana costs roughly 49% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montana is 37% below, Mexico City is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.45 BGN 15.73

$12.14 MX$206

-22.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.89 BGN 61.4

$53.9 MX$914

-31.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 BGN 16.40

$11.09 MX$188

-11.09%

Cappuccino

$1.44 BGN 2.40

$4.10 MX$69.5

-64.88%

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

$1.46 BGN 2.43

$1.68 MX$28.53

-13.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 BGN 1.84

$1.39 MX$23.55

-20.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 BGN 2.32

$3.33 MX$56.5

-57.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 BGN 1.80

$5.88 MX$99.7

-81.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 BGN 2.82

$1.85 MX$31.41

-8.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BGN 1.80

$3.17 MX$53.8

-65.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 BGN 3.59

$2.07 MX$35.13

4.35%

Eggs

$2.77 BGN 4.60

$2.93 MX$49.67

-5.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 BGN 16.49

$12.59 MX$214

-21.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 BGN 5.56

$10.11 MX$172

-66.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.87 BGN 21.41

$16.09 MX$273

-20.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 BGN 2.17

$3.39 MX$57.5

-61.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.21

$2.08 MX$35.26

-7.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 BGN 3.05

$2.12 MX$35.97

-13.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 BGN 4.40

$2.41 MX$40.95

9.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 BGN 1.20

$2.13 MX$36.11

-66.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 BGN 1.61

$2.01 MX$34.02

-51.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 BGN 1.58

$1.55 MX$26.21

-38.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 BGN 0.86

$1.36 MX$23.15

-61.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.83 BGN 6.38

$5.77 MX$97.8

-33.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.47 BGN 10.77

$17.74 MX$301

-63.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 BGN 1.51

$2.07 MX$35.11

-56.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 BGN 2.04

$4.61 MX$78.3

-73.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 BGN 1.41

$0.37 MX$6.21

129.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.69 BGN 41.08

$21.18 MX$359

16.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 BGN 1.04

$2.05 MX$34.84

-69.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 BGN 0.77

$0.58 MX$9.79

-20.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.89 BGN 18.12

$6.07 MX$103

79.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 BGN 2.61

$1.55 MX$26.34

1.29%

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

$19.9K BGN 33.0K

$22.9K MX$388.1K

-13.22%

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

$24.7K BGN 41.1K

$27.2K MX$462.0K

-9.18%

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

$105 BGN 174

$67.4 MX$1,144

55.29%

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

$19.18 BGN 31.91

$30.62 MX$520

-37.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.86 BGN 14.74

$37.24 MX$632

-76.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.81 BGN 52.9

$61.5 MX$1,043

-48.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.58 BGN 29.25

$27.12 MX$460

-35.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.61 BGN 9.33

$7.11 MX$121

-21.10%

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

$537 BGN 893

$456 MX$7,739

17.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,681 BGN 9,452

$13.7K MX$232.3K

-58.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.8 BGN 119

$74.2 MX$1,259

-3.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 BGN 73.3

$57.0 MX$967

-22.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.8 BGN 164

$115 MX$1,958

-14.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 BGN 180

$122 MX$2,061

-10.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 BGN 375

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-80.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 BGN 277

$709 MX$12.0K

-76.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 BGN 681

$2,577 MX$43.7K

-84.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 BGN 511

$1,295 MX$22.0K

-76.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,368 BGN 2,276

$4,005 MX$67.9K

-65.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,112 BGN 1,849

$2,130 MX$36.1K

-47.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,026 BGN 1,706

$1,082 MX$18.4K

-5.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.1

11.3

-72.57%

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

Last update for Montana: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $225 in Montana and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 6% 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: $37.00 in Montana vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $345 per month, with Montana 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

Montana vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montana and Mexico City differ by about 95% in total monthly costs ($862 vs $1,677 including rent). Montana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Mexico City. 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: $225 in Montana versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Montana runs roughly 17% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $537 in Montana versus $456 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $862 in Montana versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Montana but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Montana 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 Montana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.