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: $2,488 in Ottawa, IL versus $1,466 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,483 in Ottawa, IL versus $2,325 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,479 in Ottawa, IL versus $3,184 in Mexico City.

Living in Ottawa, IL is roughly 70% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ottawa, IL 86% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.28 $15.28

$13.30 MX$231

14.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 $50.9

$53.8 MX$932

-5.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.08 $11.08

$9.42 MX$163

17.62%

Cappuccino

$4.19 $4.19

$3.59 MX$62.3

16.71%

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

$2.03 $2.03

$1.62 MX$28.13

25.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.12 MX$19.49

30.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 $3.58

$3.25 MX$56.3

10.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$4.65 MX$80.6

-37.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 $0.69

$1.64 MX$28.37

-57.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.65 MX$46.00

2.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.96 MX$33.99

36.73%

Eggs

$2.66 $2.66

$2.54 MX$44.08

4.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 $11.24

$9.97 MX$173

12.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 $6.28

$8.39 MX$145

-25.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.83 MX$205

11.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.86 MX$49.62

-21.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.73 MX$30.05

-9.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.99 MX$34.50

74.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.05 MX$35.51

100.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.06 MX$35.64

14.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.28 MX$39.54

3.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.45 MX$25.05

36.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.09 MX$18.83

33.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.06 $9.06

$4.27 MX$73.9

112.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 $15.06

$14.67 MX$254

2.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.76 MX$30.58

20.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$3.57 MX$61.8

-43.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.38 MX$6.67

418.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.39 MX$24.09

154.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.30 MX$5.26

373.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.51 $29.51

$5.41 MX$93.8

445.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.34 MX$23.22

-30.60%

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

$40.4K $40.4K

$18.9K MX$326.7K

114.51%

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

$23.0K $23.0K

$23.2K MX$402.0K

-1.05%

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

$214 $214

$40.30 MX$698

430.60%

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

$42.57 $42.57

$27.15 MX$471

56.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 $62.4

$29.46 MX$510

111.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.57 $42.57

$52.7 MX$914

-19.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.17 $27.17

$26.17 MX$454

3.82%

Cinema Ticket

$12.12 $12.12

$6.18 MX$107

96.12%

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

$1,198 $1,198

$441 MX$7,637

171.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$10.7K MX$185.4K

115.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.17 $45.17

$57.2 MX$992

-21.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.64 $39.64

$45.04 MX$781

-11.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 $89.5

$103 MX$1,793

-13.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 $150

$109 MX$1,884

37.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 $1,585

$1,000 MX$17.3K

58.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 $1,379

$632 MX$11.0K

118.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,583 $2,583

$2,141 MX$37.1K

20.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,215 $2,215

$1,253 MX$21.7K

76.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,721 $2,721

$3,745 MX$64.9K

-27.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,372 $2,372

$2,381 MX$41.3K

-0.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,388 $2,388

$1,079 MX$18.7K

121.30%

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,585 in Ottawa, IL and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ottawa, IL pays 121% 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 in Ottawa, IL vs $54 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $286, 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 70% in total monthly costs ($2,488 vs $1,466 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ottawa, IL pays 121% more on average, 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: $1,585 in Ottawa, IL versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,198 in Ottawa, IL versus $441 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 $51.0 in Ottawa, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,466 in Mexico City versus $2,488 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 70% less than in Ottawa, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.