Cost of Living Comparison Between Normal, IL and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Normal, IL and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,259 in Normal, IL versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,291 in Normal, IL versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,324 in Normal, IL versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Normal, IL is roughly 36% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Normal, IL 65% above, Mexico City 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.35 $11.35

$11.92 MX$205

-4.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 $50.2

$51.6 MX$886

-2.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.01 $10.01

$11.41 MX$196

-12.27%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$3.99 MX$68.6

22.81%

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

$3.37 $3.37

$1.66 MX$28.48

103.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.33 MX$22.77

12.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.24 $5.24

$3.47 MX$59.6

51.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 $6.15

$5.90 MX$101

4.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.88 MX$32.21

-57.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.25 MX$55.9

-17.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.16 MX$37.10

50.46%

Eggs

$3.65 $3.65

$2.90 MX$49.72

25.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 $8.98

$12.86 MX$221

-30.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.05 MX$173

24.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.21 $19.21

$15.86 MX$272

21.12%

Apples (1kg)

$6.44 $6.44

$3.29 MX$56.6

95.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 $1.25

$2.01 MX$34.44

-37.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$2.20 MX$37.76

204.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$2.36 MX$40.44

118.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.05 MX$35.27

64.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$1.90 MX$32.64

69.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.61 MX$27.55

22.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.40 MX$23.98

70.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.83 $11.83

$5.46 MX$93.8

116.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.84 $10.84

$17.65 MX$303

-38.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.06 MX$35.28

-6.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$4.68 MX$80.4

-37.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.34 MX$5.81

614.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.3 $92.3

$20.81 MX$357

343.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 $5.83

$2.10 MX$35.99

177.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.56 MX$9.60

92.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 $18.30

$5.81 MX$99.8

214.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.61 MX$27.56

-46.58%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$22.8K MX$392.1K

62.11%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.8K MX$459.2K

-0.19%

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

$206 $206

$65.2 MX$1,119

216.68%

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

$96.0 $96.0

$30.09 MX$517

219.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 $63.8

$37.18 MX$638

71.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.21 $40.21

$59.8 MX$1,026

-32.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$12.05 $12.05

$7.04 MX$121

71.16%

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

$1,071 $1,071

$465 MX$7,976

130.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.45 $30.45

$75.9 MX$1,303

-59.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.70 $40.70

$56.0 MX$960

-27.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 $67.9

$112 MX$1,920

-39.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 $151

$121 MX$2,068

24.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,004 $1,004

$1,103 MX$18.9K

-8.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$902 $902

$721 MX$12.4K

25.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,791 $1,791

$2,530 MX$43.4K

-29.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,293 MX$22.2K

25.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,996 $9,996

$3,991 MX$68.5K

150.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,165 $4,165

$1,037 MX$17.8K

301.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

11.3

-43.98%

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

Last update for Normal, IL: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,004 in Normal, IL and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Normal, IL pays 302% 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: $50.0 in Normal, IL vs $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $392 vs $345, 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

Normal, IL vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Normal, IL and Mexico City differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($2,259 vs $1,660 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 302% higher in Normal, IL, 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: $1,004 in Normal, IL versus $1,103 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 344% less than in Normal, IL. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,071 in Normal, IL versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,259 in Normal, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Normal, IL. 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 36% less than in Normal, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.