Cost of Living Comparison Between North Charleston, SC and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between North Charleston, SC and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,684 in North Charleston, SC versus $1,481 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,818 in North Charleston, SC versus $2,352 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,953 in North Charleston, SC versus $3,222 in Mexico City.

Living in North Charleston, SC is roughly 81% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: North Charleston, SC 101% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.87 $17.87

$13.16 MX$229

35.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.6 $85.6

$53.6 MX$932

59.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 $9.96

$9.55 MX$166

4.29%

Cappuccino

$6.57 $6.57

$3.72 MX$64.8

76.61%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$1.57 MX$27.28

63.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.16 MX$20.12

100.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 $6.01

$3.18 MX$55.4

88.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.15 $8.15

$4.63 MX$80.6

76.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.71 MX$29.67

-45.61%

White Bread (500g)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.62 MX$45.54

54.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.89 MX$32.87

69.31%

Eggs

$3.73 $3.73

$2.60 MX$45.17

43.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.81 $13.81

$9.91 MX$172

39.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.69 $12.69

$8.22 MX$143

54.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 $14.83

$11.78 MX$205

25.89%

Apples (1kg)

$6.77 $6.77

$3.00 MX$52.1

125.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.80 MX$31.32

-8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$2.07 MX$36.08

125.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$1.97 MX$34.23

190.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.07 MX$36.05

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.17 MX$37.84

33.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.40 MX$24.41

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.07 MX$18.70

114.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.70 $7.70

$4.12 MX$71.7

86.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.37 $15.37

$17.42 MX$303

-11.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.68 MX$29.16

8.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.65 MX$63.5

-26.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 $3.41

$0.38 MX$6.62

797.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.98 $29.98

$18.71 MX$326

60.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.33 MX$23.13

130.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.30 MX$5.27

396.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.38 $20.38

$5.51 MX$95.9

269.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.31 MX$22.72

-35.88%

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

$29.1K $29.1K

$19.2K MX$333.5K

51.91%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$23.7K MX$413.3K

7.09%

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

$208 $208

$41.14 MX$716

405.15%

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

$64.1 $64.1

$27.74 MX$483

131.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 $73.3

$30.13 MX$524

143.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.74 $43.74

$53.7 MX$935

-18.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$452

Cinema Ticket

$11.93 $11.93

$6.49 MX$113

83.82%

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

$754 $754

$437 MX$7,598

72.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K $14.3K

$10.5K MX$182.0K

36.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 $60.4

$58.3 MX$1,015

3.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.03 $43.03

$45.86 MX$798

-6.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 $92.0

$101 MX$1,765

-9.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$107 MX$1,854

30.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$1,005 MX$17.5K

92.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 $1,278

$634 MX$11.0K

101.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$2,148 MX$37.4K

-10.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,953 $1,953

$1,247 MX$21.7K

56.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,836 $2,836

$3,859 MX$67.2K

-26.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,847 $2,847

$2,085 MX$36.3K

36.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,302 $4,302

$1,072 MX$18.7K

301.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

11.34

-42.77%

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

Last update for North Charleston, SC: July 20, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in North Charleston, SC and $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

North Charleston, SC pays 301% 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: $86.0 in North Charleston, SC vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $413 vs $291 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

North Charleston, SC vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Charleston, SC and Mexico City differ by about 81% in total monthly costs ($2,684 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 301% higher in North Charleston, SC, 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: $1,932 in North Charleston, SC 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 60% less than in North Charleston, SC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $754 in North Charleston, SC 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 $2,684 in North Charleston, SC, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in North Charleston, SC. 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 81% less than in North Charleston, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.