Cost of Living Comparison Between Montclair, NJ and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Montclair, NJ and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,816 in Montclair, NJ versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,285 in Montclair, NJ versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,753 in Montclair, NJ versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Montclair, NJ is roughly 92% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montclair, NJ 110% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 $17.45

$13.18 MX$228

32.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$53.9 MX$934

87.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 $11.88

$9.42 MX$163

26.11%

Cappuccino

$5.80 $5.80

$3.55 MX$61.5

63.38%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$1.62 MX$28.03

88.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.11 MX$19.31

44.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.99 $7.99

$3.12 MX$54.1

156.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.95 $11.95

$4.63 MX$80.2

158.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.70 MX$29.48

-25.88%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 $4.13

$2.72 MX$47.10

51.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$1.91 MX$33.13

187.43%

Eggs

$6.47 $6.47

$2.54 MX$43.94

154.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.18 $14.18

$10.03 MX$174

41.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 $10.11

$8.09 MX$140

24.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.86 $19.86

$11.62 MX$201

70.91%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$2.97 MX$51.4

98.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.81 MX$31.30

40.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.01 MX$34.88

110.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.03 MX$35.26

112.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.12 MX$36.82

47.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.27 MX$39.32

11.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.40 MX$24.26

105.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.13 MX$19.59

119.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.16 $17.16

$4.27 MX$74.0

301.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$15.56 MX$270

-3.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.76 MX$30.44

5.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.60 MX$62.3

6.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.38 MX$6.64

413.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.38 MX$23.84

113.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.28 MX$4.79

660.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.30 $42.30

$5.45 MX$94.4

676.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.30 MX$22.60

-30.00%

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

$23.3K $23.3K

$18.7K MX$323.8K

24.90%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$23.1K MX$400.8K

10.85%

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

$180 $180

$40.86 MX$708

341.02%

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

$52.7 $52.7

$26.81 MX$465

96.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.0 $62.0

$29.96 MX$519

106.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.98 $42.98

$52.0 MX$901

-17.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

Cinema Ticket

$19.73 $19.73

$6.30 MX$109

213.17%

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

$1,763 $1,763

$436 MX$7,558

304.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$10.4K MX$180.5K

52.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$56.7 MX$982

16.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.96 $48.96

$44.38 MX$769

10.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 $98.3

$103 MX$1,784

-4.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$106 MX$1,829

13.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,280 $2,280

$1,022 MX$17.7K

123.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 $1,561

$631 MX$10.9K

147.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,779 $3,779

$2,136 MX$37.0K

76.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,679 $2,679

$1,243 MX$21.5K

115.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

11.34

-43.21%

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

Last update for Montclair, NJ: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,280 in Montclair, NJ and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $101 in Montclair, NJ vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $441 vs $288 per month, with Mexico City 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

Montclair, NJ vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montclair, NJ and Mexico City differ by about 92% in total monthly costs ($2,816 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,224 in Montclair, NJ and $2,201 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,280 in Montclair, NJ versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,763 in Montclair, NJ versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $101 in Montclair, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,816 in Montclair, NJ, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Montclair, NJ. 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.

Safety-wise, Montclair, NJ and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Montclair, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.