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: $842 in Montana versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,323 in Montana versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Montana versus $3,274 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 37% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.45 BGN 17.38

$13.18 MX$228

-20.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.87 BGN 58.0

$53.9 MX$934

-35.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 BGN 13.18

$9.42 MX$163

-15.92%

Cappuccino

$1.46 BGN 2.44

$3.55 MX$61.5

-58.87%

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

$1.38 BGN 2.29

$1.62 MX$28.03

-14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 BGN 1.45

$1.11 MX$19.31

-21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.32 BGN 2.20

$3.12 MX$54.1

-57.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 BGN 1.73

$4.63 MX$80.2

-77.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 BGN 2.83

$1.70 MX$29.48

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 BGN 1.66

$2.72 MX$47.10

-63.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 BGN 3.02

$1.91 MX$33.13

-5.24%

Eggs

$2.65 BGN 4.40

$2.54 MX$43.94

4.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 BGN 15.79

$10.03 MX$174

-5.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 BGN 5.41

$8.09 MX$140

-59.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.84 BGN 21.36

$11.62 MX$201

10.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 BGN 2.10

$2.97 MX$51.4

-57.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 BGN 4.36

$1.81 MX$31.30

44.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$2.01 MX$34.88

-1.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 BGN 3.50

$2.03 MX$35.26

3.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 BGN 1.39

$2.12 MX$36.82

-60.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 BGN 1.23

$2.27 MX$39.32

-67.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 BGN 2.26

$1.40 MX$24.26

-2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 BGN 0.85

$1.13 MX$19.59

-54.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.55 BGN 5.91

$4.27 MX$74.0

-16.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.90 BGN 9.81

$15.56 MX$270

-62.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 BGN 1.51

$1.76 MX$30.44

-48.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 BGN 2.85

$3.60 MX$62.3

-52.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.53

$0.38 MX$6.64

142.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.97 BGN 59.9

$19.18 MX$332

87.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 BGN 1.11

$1.38 MX$23.84

-51.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 BGN 0.72

$0.28 MX$4.79

53.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.60 BGN 17.63

$5.45 MX$94.4

94.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.30 MX$22.60

16.15%

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

$20.1K BGN 33.5K

$18.7K MX$323.8K

7.66%

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

$24.4K BGN 40.6K

$23.1K MX$400.8K

5.40%

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

$99.0 BGN 165

$40.86 MX$708

142.36%

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

$17.04 BGN 28.35

$26.81 MX$465

-36.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.88 BGN 14.78

$29.96 MX$519

-70.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.79 BGN 34.58

$52.0 MX$901

-60.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.07 BGN 15.09

$26.84 MX$465

-66.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 BGN 9.45

$6.30 MX$109

-9.84%

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

$324 BGN 539

$436 MX$7,558

-25.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,558 BGN 9,246

$10.4K MX$180.5K

-46.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 BGN 87.9

$56.7 MX$982

-6.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.33 BGN 48.79

$44.38 MX$769

-33.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 BGN 121

$103 MX$1,784

-29.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 BGN 177

$106 MX$1,829

0.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 BGN 371

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-78.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 BGN 273

$631 MX$10.9K

-74.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 BGN 688

$2,136 MX$37.0K

-80.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 BGN 507

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-75.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,352 BGN 2,249

$3,903 MX$67.6K

-65.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,090 BGN 1,813

$2,064 MX$35.8K

-47.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,036 BGN 1,723

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-7.12%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $223 in Montana and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 8% 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 $204 vs $288 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 74% in total monthly costs ($842 vs $1,467 including rent). Montana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 8% less. 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: $223 in Montana versus $1,022 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 88% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $324 in Montana versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $842 in Montana versus $1,467 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 74% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.