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: $830 in Montana versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,325 in Montana versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,820 in Montana versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Montana costs roughly 43% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montana is 38% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 BGN 18.00

$13.07 MX$229

-17.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.78 BGN 57.9

$53.8 MX$943

-35.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 BGN 12.99

$9.68 MX$170

-19.32%

Cappuccino

$1.48 BGN 2.46

$3.74 MX$65.6

-60.43%

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

$1.40 BGN 2.33

$1.62 MX$28.34

-13.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 BGN 1.49

$1.16 MX$20.37

-22.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 BGN 2.31

$3.23 MX$56.6

-56.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 BGN 1.78

$4.74 MX$83.1

-77.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 BGN 2.89

$1.65 MX$28.89

5.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 BGN 1.56

$2.75 MX$48.30

-65.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 BGN 3.03

$1.87 MX$32.87

-2.67%

Eggs

$2.71 BGN 4.51

$2.50 MX$43.86

8.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 BGN 15.64

$10.20 MX$179

-7.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 BGN 5.47

$8.25 MX$145

-60.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.91 BGN 21.48

$11.82 MX$207

9.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 BGN 2.09

$3.01 MX$52.8

-58.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 BGN 4.18

$1.81 MX$31.77

38.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 BGN 3.19

$2.00 MX$35.07

-4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 BGN 3.33

$2.00 MX$35.00

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 BGN 1.40

$2.08 MX$36.56

-59.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 BGN 1.31

$2.27 MX$39.85

-65.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 BGN 2.26

$1.46 MX$25.55

-6.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 BGN 0.92

$1.08 MX$18.88

-48.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.60 BGN 5.99

$4.35 MX$76.3

-17.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 BGN 9.60

$16.99 MX$298

-66.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BGN 1.52

$1.73 MX$30.40

-46.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 BGN 2.83

$3.58 MX$62.7

-52.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.53

$0.39 MX$6.79

135.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.46 BGN 59.0

$18.69 MX$328

89.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 BGN 1.12

$1.33 MX$23.25

-49.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 BGN 0.73

$0.28 MX$4.91

57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.35 BGN 17.22

$5.25 MX$92.1

97.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.34 MX$23.44

12.69%

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

$19.7K BGN 32.8K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

1.68%

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

$24.4K BGN 40.6K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

2.35%

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

$99.2 BGN 165

$40.69 MX$714

143.79%

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

$17.07 BGN 28.40

$26.87 MX$471

-36.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.91 BGN 14.82

$30.51 MX$535

-70.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.57 BGN 34.22

$52.8 MX$926

-61.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.65 BGN 14.40

$26.65 MX$467

-67.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 BGN 9.25

$6.51 MX$114

-14.59%

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

$322 BGN 536

$428 MX$7,508

-24.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,484 BGN 9,123

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-47.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 BGN 89.8

$57.3 MX$1,004

-5.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.94 BGN 49.81

$45.50 MX$798

-34.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 BGN 125

$104 MX$1,825

-27.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 BGN 174

$108 MX$1,891

-3.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 BGN 363

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-78.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 BGN 265

$623 MX$10.9K

-74.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 BGN 681

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-80.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 BGN 506

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-75.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,331 BGN 2,214

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-65.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,109 BGN 1,845

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-45.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,018 BGN 1,693

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-1.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

11.34

-71.78%

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

Last update for Montana: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $218 in Montana and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 2% 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: $35.00 in Montana vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $292 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 75% in total monthly costs ($830 vs $1,456 including rent). Montana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2% 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: $218 in Montana versus $1,003 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 90% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $322 in Montana versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $830 in Montana versus $1,456 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 75% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.