😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,676 in Murphysboro, IL versus $1,646 in Mexico City.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,531 in Murphysboro, IL versus $2,613 in Mexico City.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,386 in Murphysboro, IL versus $3,580 in Mexico City.
🌍Living in Murphysboro, IL is roughly 2% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Murphysboro, IL22% above, Mexico City20% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Murphysboro, IL
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.78$18.78
$12.11MX$204
55.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.2$80.2
$52.2MX$881
53.63%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.07$12.07
$10.90MX$184
10.73%
Cappuccino
$6.76$6.76
$4.05MX$68.4
66.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95$2.95
$1.72MX$28.95
71.51%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43$2.43
$1.38MX$23.25
76.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.87$6.87
$3.47MX$58.5
97.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.90$7.90
$5.81MX$98.1
35.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Murphysboro, IL
Mexico City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.82$0.82
$1.85MX$31.28
-55.68%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82$1.82
$3.22MX$54.4
-43.48%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.00$4.00
$2.09MX$35.20
91.39%
Eggs
$4.27$4.27
$2.91MX$49.10
46.74%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.87$12.87
$12.49MX$211
3.04%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.45$9.45
$10.11MX$171
-6.53%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.36$15.36
$15.89MX$268
-3.34%
Apples(1kg)
$5.85$5.85
$3.31MX$56.0
76.74%
Banana(1kg)
$1.47$1.47
$2.13MX$35.90
-30.99%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.10$4.10
$2.19MX$36.97
87.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.12$5.12
$2.45MX$41.31
108.98%
Potato(1kg)
$1.11$1.11
$2.19MX$36.95
-49.32%
Onion(1kg)
$1.93$1.93
$1.90MX$32.15
1.58%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.62$1.62
$1.62MX$27.26
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78$0.78
$1.35MX$22.78
-42.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.35$10.35
$5.43MX$91.6
90.61%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.05$10.05
$17.59MX$297
-42.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.48$2.48
$2.07MX$34.90
19.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.01$4.01
$4.75MX$80.1
-15.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Murphysboro, IL
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.30$2.30
$0.34MX$5.74
576.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$21.58MX$364
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.03$5.03
$2.04MX$34.44
146.57%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.58$1.58
$0.58MX$9.75
172.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$20.64$20.64
$5.97MX$101
245.73%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.98$0.98
$1.62MX$27.27
-39.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.7K$36.7K
$22.8KMX$385.0K
61.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.4K$27.4K
$26.7KMX$450.0K
2.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Murphysboro, IL
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$192$192
$65.2MX$1,101
193.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.38$32.38
$29.87MX$504
8.40%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.82$38.82
$36.55MX$617
6.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Murphysboro, IL
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$36.37$36.37
$61.0MX$1,030
-40.38%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$26.70MX$451
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.83$8.83
$6.85MX$116
28.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Murphysboro, IL
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,483$1,483
$453MX$7,652
227.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$30.9K$30.9K
$13.4KMX$225.7K
131.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Murphysboro, IL
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.33$33.33
$75.0MX$1,265
-55.54%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.68$34.68
$55.3MX$933
-37.28%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$93.8$93.8
$114MX$1,917
-17.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111$111
$123MX$2,070
-9.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Murphysboro, IL
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$637$637
$1,134MX$19.1K
-43.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$561$561
$712MX$12.0K
-21.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$919$919
$2,571MX$43.4K
-64.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$865$865
$1,311MX$22.1K
-34.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$903$903
$3,993MX$67.4K
-77.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$975$975
$2,095MX$35.4K
-53.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Murphysboro, IL
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,460$2,460
$1,047MX$17.7K
135.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.07
11.3
-46.28%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Murphysboro, IL: August 30, 2026
Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $637 in Murphysboro, IL and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Murphysboro, IL pays 135% 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: $80.0 in Murphysboro, IL vs $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $335 vs $345, with Murphysboro, IL cheaper for home cooking.
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
Murphysboro, IL vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Murphysboro, IL and in Mexico City?
Murphysboro, IL and Mexico City differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,676 vs $1,646 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Murphysboro, IL or Mexico City?
Average pay runs 135% higher in Murphysboro, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Murphysboro, IL and in Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $637 in Murphysboro, IL versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Murphysboro, IL and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $1,483 in Murphysboro, IL versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $80.0 in Murphysboro, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,676 in Murphysboro, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Murphysboro, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Murphysboro, IL and Mexico City?
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.
Where should expats move: Murphysboro, IL or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Murphysboro, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Murphysboro, IL vs other spots: cost of living compared