Cost of Living Comparison Between Olympia, WA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Olympia, WA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,021 in Olympia, WA versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,179 in Olympia, WA versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,337 in Olympia, WA versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Olympia, WA is roughly 84% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Olympia, WA 120% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.90 $24.90

$12.11 MX$204

105.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 $68.5

$52.2 MX$881

31.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.73 $12.73

$10.90 MX$184

16.79%

Cappuccino

$6.33 $6.33

$4.05 MX$68.4

56.30%

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

$2.84 $2.84

$1.72 MX$28.95

65.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.38 MX$23.25

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.02 $7.02

$3.47 MX$58.5

102.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$5.81 MX$98.1

19.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.85 MX$31.28

-38.92%

White Bread (500g)

$4.43 $4.43

$3.22 MX$54.4

37.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.09 MX$35.20

47.85%

Eggs

$5.22 $5.22

$2.91 MX$49.10

79.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.66 $17.66

$12.49 MX$211

41.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.53 $10.53

$10.11 MX$171

4.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.64 $16.64

$15.89 MX$268

4.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.31 MX$56.0

54.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.13 MX$35.90

-25.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.19 MX$36.97

83.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$2.45 MX$41.31

82.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.19 MX$36.95

18.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.90 MX$32.15

32.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.62 MX$27.26

48.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.35 MX$22.78

71.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.25 $12.25

$5.43 MX$91.6

125.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.21 $15.21

$17.59 MX$297

-13.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.07 MX$34.90

18.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$4.75 MX$80.1

-51.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 $0.88

$0.34 MX$5.74

158.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.04 MX$34.44

143.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.57 $2.57

$0.58 MX$9.75

343.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$52.5 $52.5

$5.97 MX$101

779.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.62 MX$27.27

-20.37%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

61.27%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.7K MX$450.0K

-2.52%

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

$159 $159

$65.2 MX$1,101

143.13%

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

$69.3 $69.3

$29.87 MX$504

132.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$94.0 $94.0

$36.55 MX$617

157.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.4 $61.4

$61.0 MX$1,030

0.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.02 $5.02

$26.70 MX$451

-81.20%

Cinema Ticket

$12.08 $12.08

$6.85 MX$116

76.35%

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

$1,443 $1,443

$453 MX$7,652

218.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$225.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.20 $44.20

$75.0 MX$1,265

-41.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 $55.5

$55.3 MX$933

0.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 $91.2

$114 MX$1,917

-19.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$123 MX$2,070

-15.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 $1,707

$1,134 MX$19.1K

50.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 $1,579

$712 MX$12.0K

121.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,166 $3,166

$2,571 MX$43.4K

23.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,425 $2,425

$1,311 MX$22.1K

84.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,169 $3,169

$3,993 MX$67.4K

-20.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,002 $3,002

$2,095 MX$35.4K

43.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,934 $4,934

$1,047 MX$17.7K

371.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.27

11.3

-44.51%

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

Last update for Olympia, WA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,707 in Olympia, WA and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Olympia, WA pays 371% 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: $68.0 in Olympia, WA vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $345 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

Olympia, WA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Olympia, WA and Mexico City differ by about 84% in total monthly costs ($3,021 vs $1,646 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 371% higher in Olympia, WA, 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: $1,707 in Olympia, WA versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,443 in Olympia, WA versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $68.0 in Olympia, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $3,021 in Olympia, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Olympia, WA. 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 84% less than in Olympia, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.