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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,449 in Ottawa, IL versus $1,481 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,479 in Ottawa, IL versus $2,352 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,509 in Ottawa, IL versus $3,222 in Mexico City.

Living in Ottawa, IL is roughly 65% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ottawa, IL 83% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.79 $14.79

$13.16 MX$230

12.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.97 $49.97

$53.6 MX$938

-6.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 $10.81

$9.55 MX$167

13.19%

Cappuccino

$4.42 $4.42

$3.72 MX$65.2

18.82%

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

$1.95 $1.95

$1.57 MX$27.45

24.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.16 MX$20.25

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.18 MX$55.8

11.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$4.63 MX$81.1

-35.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 $0.69

$1.71 MX$29.87

-59.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.62 MX$45.83

1.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.89 MX$33.08

41.80%

Eggs

$2.63 $2.63

$2.60 MX$45.46

1.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.45 $11.45

$9.91 MX$174

15.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.12 $6.12

$8.22 MX$144

-25.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 $13.22

$11.78 MX$206

12.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$3.00 MX$52.5

-25.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.80 MX$31.52

-10.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.07 MX$36.32

67.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$1.97 MX$34.45

116.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.07 MX$36.29

17.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.17 MX$38.08

11.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.40 MX$24.57

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.07 MX$18.82

42.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.86 $8.86

$4.12 MX$72.1

115.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.74 $12.74

$17.42 MX$305

-26.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.68 MX$29.35

22.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.65 MX$63.9

-43.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.38 MX$6.66

418.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.33 MX$23.28

157.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.30 MX$5.31

376.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 $29.55

$5.51 MX$96.6

436.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.31 MX$22.87

-30.53%

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

$40.2K $40.2K

$19.2K MX$335.7K

109.92%

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

$22.9K $22.9K

$23.7K MX$415.9K

-3.62%

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

$221 $221

$41.14 MX$721

436.53%

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

$42.21 $42.21

$27.74 MX$486

52.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.5 $61.5

$30.13 MX$528

103.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.77 $42.77

$53.7 MX$941

-20.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.13 $27.13

$25.98 MX$455

4.43%

Cinema Ticket

$12.12 $12.12

$6.49 MX$114

86.75%

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

$1,213 $1,213

$437 MX$7,647

177.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$10.5K MX$183.1K

121.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.20 $44.20

$58.3 MX$1,022

-24.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.57 $40.57

$45.86 MX$803

-11.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 $88.7

$101 MX$1,777

-12.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$107 MX$1,866

38.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 $1,609

$1,005 MX$17.6K

60.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 $1,334

$634 MX$11.1K

110.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 $2,670

$2,148 MX$37.6K

24.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,258 $2,258

$1,247 MX$21.8K

81.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,929 $2,929

$3,859 MX$67.6K

-24.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,476 $2,476

$2,085 MX$36.5K

18.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,387 $2,387

$1,072 MX$18.8K

122.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

11.34

-42.15%

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

Last update for Ottawa, IL: July 21, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,609 in Ottawa, IL and $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ottawa, IL pays 123% 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 Ottawa, IL vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 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

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

Ottawa, IL and Mexico City differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($2,449 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 123% higher in Ottawa, 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: $1,609 in Ottawa, IL versus $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,213 in Ottawa, IL versus $437 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 $54.0 versus $50.0 in Ottawa, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,481 in Mexico City versus $2,449 in Ottawa, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Ottawa, 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 65% less than in Ottawa, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.