๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,670 in Murphysboro, IL versus $1,466 in Mexico City.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,517 in Murphysboro, IL versus $2,325 in Mexico City.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,364 in Murphysboro, IL versus $3,184 in Mexico City.
๐Living in Murphysboro, IL is roughly 14% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Both cities are pricier than the global median: Murphysboro, IL25% above, Mexico City9% above.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Murphysboro, IL
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.84$17.84
$13.30MX$231
34.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.8$80.8
$53.8MX$932
50.18%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.83$9.83
$9.42MX$163
4.35%
Cappuccino
$5.80$5.80
$3.59MX$62.3
61.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97$2.97
$1.62MX$28.13
83.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42$2.42
$1.12MX$19.49
116.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.43$6.43
$3.25MX$56.3
97.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.92$7.92
$4.65MX$80.6
70.32%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Murphysboro, IL
Mexico City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.88$0.88
$1.64MX$28.37
-46.34%
White Bread(500g)
$1.80$1.80
$2.65MX$46.00
-32.08%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.30$4.30
$1.96MX$33.99
119.39%
Eggs
$3.87$3.87
$2.54MX$44.08
52.36%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.47$12.47
$9.97MX$173
25.08%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.67$9.67
$8.39MX$145
15.26%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.65$14.65
$11.83MX$205
23.84%
Apples(1kg)
$4.46$4.46
$2.86MX$49.62
55.94%
Banana(1kg)
$1.41$1.41
$1.73MX$30.05
-18.50%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.66$5.66
$1.99MX$34.50
184.42%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.37$5.37
$2.05MX$35.51
161.95%
Potato(1kg)
$1.07$1.07
$2.06MX$35.64
-48.06%
Onion(1kg)
$1.82$1.82
$2.28MX$39.54
-20.18%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.49$1.49
$1.45MX$25.05
2.76%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78$0.78
$1.09MX$18.83
-28.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.77$8.77
$4.27MX$73.9
105.39%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.88$9.88
$14.67MX$254
-32.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.00$2.00
$1.76MX$30.58
13.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.01$4.01
$3.57MX$61.8
12.32%
๐ Getting Around
Murphysboro, IL
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.03$2.03
$0.38MX$6.67
434.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$18.73MX$325
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.10$5.10
$1.39MX$24.09
266.91%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.53$1.53
$0.30MX$5.26
410.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$21.14$21.14
$5.41MX$93.8
290.76%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.79$0.79
$1.34MX$23.22
-41.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.2K$32.2K
$18.9KMX$326.7K
70.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K$26.3K
$23.2KMX$402.0K
13.39%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Murphysboro, IL
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$188$188
$40.30MX$698
365.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.13$33.13
$27.15MX$471
22.03%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.31$35.31
$29.46MX$510
19.86%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Murphysboro, IL
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.72$43.72
$52.7MX$914
-17.10%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$26.17MX$454
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.62$8.62
$6.18MX$107
39.48%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Murphysboro, IL
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,269$1,269
$441MX$7,637
187.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$30.9K$30.9K
$10.7KMX$185.4K
188.78%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Murphysboro, IL
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$34.14$34.14
$57.2MX$992
-40.36%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.53$35.53
$45.04MX$781
-21.11%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$92.2$92.2
$103MX$1,793
-10.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112$112
$109MX$1,884
2.92%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Murphysboro, IL
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$685$685
$1,000MX$17.3K
-31.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$556$556
$632MX$11.0K
-12.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$920$920
$2,141MX$37.1K
-57.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$787$787
$1,253MX$21.7K
-37.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$928$928
$3,745MX$64.9K
-75.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$967$967
$2,381MX$41.3K
-59.40%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Murphysboro, IL
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,542$2,542
$1,079MX$18.7K
135.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.52
11.34
-42.50%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Murphysboro, IL: April 20, 2026
Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $685 in Murphysboro, IL and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐMurphysboro, 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.
๐Dining out: $81 in Murphysboro, IL vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $329 vs $286 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
Murphysboro, IL vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Murphysboro, IL and Mexico City?
Murphysboro, IL and Mexico City differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,670 vs $1,466 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable โ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Murphysboro, IL or Mexico City?
Murphysboro, IL pays 135% more on average, 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 Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $685 in Murphysboro, IL versus $1,000 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 $1,269 in Murphysboro, IL versus $441 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 โ a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $81.0 in Murphysboro, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,466 in Mexico City versus $1,670 in Murphysboro, IL, a $2,000 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 โ 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 โ expenses run 14% 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