Cost of Living Comparison Between New Bedford, MA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between New Bedford, MA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,507 in New Bedford, MA versus $1,481 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,232 in New Bedford, MA versus $2,352 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,956 in New Bedford, MA versus $3,222 in Mexico City.

Living in New Bedford, MA is roughly 69% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New Bedford, MA 88% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.76 $11.76

$13.16 MX$229

-10.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 $51.0

$53.6 MX$932

-4.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 $12.15

$9.55 MX$166

27.23%

Cappuccino

$4.38 $4.38

$3.72 MX$64.8

17.74%

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

$2.76 $2.76

$1.57 MX$27.28

75.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.16 MX$20.12

80.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 $3.90

$3.18 MX$55.4

22.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 $5.90

$4.63 MX$80.6

27.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.71 MX$29.67

-39.77%

White Bread (500g)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.62 MX$45.54

66.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$1.89 MX$32.87

176.72%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$2.60 MX$45.17

86.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.50 $17.50

$9.91 MX$172

76.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.89 $12.89

$8.22 MX$143

56.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$11.78 MX$205

21.14%

Apples (1kg)

$6.46 $6.46

$3.00 MX$52.1

115.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.80 MX$31.32

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.86 $5.86

$2.07 MX$36.08

183.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$1.97 MX$34.23

202.54%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.07 MX$36.05

57.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.17 MX$37.84

60.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.40 MX$24.41

45.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.07 MX$18.70

105.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.04 $14.04

$4.12 MX$71.7

240.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.99 $14.99

$17.42 MX$303

-13.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.68 MX$29.16

4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.65 MX$63.5

-30.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.38 MX$6.62

413.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.15 $28.15

$18.71 MX$326

50.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 $5.38

$1.33 MX$23.13

304.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.00 $2.00

$0.30 MX$5.27

566.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.06 $29.06

$5.51 MX$95.9

427.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.31 MX$22.72

-31.30%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$19.2K MX$333.5K

47.45%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$23.7K MX$413.3K

4.96%

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

$128 $128

$41.14 MX$716

210.09%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$27.74 MX$483

92.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.26 $45.26

$30.13 MX$524

50.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.22 $29.22

$53.7 MX$935

-45.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$452

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 $12.04

$6.49 MX$113

85.52%

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

$1,262 $1,262

$437 MX$7,598

189.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.1K $33.1K

$10.5K MX$182.0K

216.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.54 $34.54

$58.3 MX$1,015

-40.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 $38.51

$45.86 MX$798

-16.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.8 $54.8

$101 MX$1,765

-45.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.8 $97.8

$107 MX$1,854

-8.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 $1,512

$1,005 MX$17.5K

50.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,338 $1,338

$634 MX$11.0K

111.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,696 $1,696

$2,148 MX$37.4K

-21.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 $1,460

$1,247 MX$21.7K

17.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 MX$36.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,865 $4,865

$1,072 MX$18.7K

353.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

11.34

-43.74%

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

Last update for New Bedford, MA: July 21, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,512 in New Bedford, MA and $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New Bedford, MA pays 354% 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: $51.0 in New Bedford, MA vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $446 vs $291, with Mexico City 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

New Bedford, MA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New Bedford, MA and Mexico City differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($2,507 vs $1,481 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 354% higher in New Bedford, MA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,512 in New Bedford, MA versus $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 50% less than in New Bedford, MA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,262 in New Bedford, MA versus $437 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,481 in Mexico City versus $2,507 in New Bedford, MA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in New Bedford, MA. 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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in New Bedford, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.