Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasadena, CA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasadena, CA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,050 in Pasadena, CA versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,773 in Pasadena, CA versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,497 in Pasadena, CA versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Pasadena, CA is roughly 173% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Pasadena, CA 202% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.79 $17.79

$12.98 MX$227

37.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 $81.2

$53.1 MX$929

52.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 $11.69

$9.72 MX$170

20.27%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$3.75 MX$65.6

37.87%

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

$3.11 $3.11

$1.57 MX$27.46

98.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.13 MX$19.76

155.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.80 $9.80

$3.18 MX$55.7

208.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.96 $10.96

$4.66 MX$81.6

135.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.62 MX$28.37

-25.93%

White Bread (500g)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.71 MX$47.36

81.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.88 MX$32.89

49.47%

Eggs

$5.34 $5.34

$2.51 MX$43.90

112.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 $16.23

$10.08 MX$176

61.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.28 $18.28

$8.29 MX$145

120.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.32 $13.32

$11.94 MX$209

11.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.86 MX$50.1

24.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.75 MX$30.62

-6.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.08 MX$36.48

20.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$1.97 MX$34.46

191.88%

Potato (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$2.16 MX$37.79

160.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.18 MX$38.16

4.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.39 MX$24.34

34.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.12 MX$19.69

48.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.39 $9.39

$4.20 MX$73.5

123.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 $9.88

$14.25 MX$249

-30.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.76 MX$30.85

16.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$3.68 MX$64.5

-54.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 $1.56

$0.39 MX$6.74

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.6 $52.6

$18.66 MX$327

181.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.39 MX$24.26

155.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.30 MX$5.32

433.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 $29.15

$5.42 MX$94.9

437.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.35 MX$23.63

-3.70%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$18.9K MX$330.5K

55.25%

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

$22.2K $22.2K

$23.2K MX$405.2K

-4.11%

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

$265 $265

$40.82 MX$714

548.85%

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

$51.1 $51.1

$27.50 MX$481

85.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 $72.6

$30.38 MX$532

139.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.50 $34.50

$53.4 MX$935

-35.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.02 $35.02

$26.30 MX$460

33.16%

Cinema Ticket

$19.11 $19.11

$6.27 MX$110

204.78%

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

$1,299 $1,299

$436 MX$7,632

197.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K $15.1K

$10.5K MX$183.2K

44.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 $88.8

$56.8 MX$993

56.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.28 $40.28

$44.79 MX$784

-10.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 $93.6

$103 MX$1,799

-8.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$108 MX$1,888

4.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,388 $3,388

$1,000 MX$17.5K

238.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$620 MX$10.9K

334.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,475 $5,475

$2,137 MX$37.4K

156.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,330 $4,330

$1,235 MX$21.6K

250.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,483 $9,483

$3,865 MX$67.6K

145.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,659 $8,659

$2,332 MX$40.8K

271.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,256 $5,256

$1,067 MX$18.7K

392.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.27

11.34

-44.71%

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

Last update for Pasadena, CA: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,388 in Pasadena, CA and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pasadena, CA pays 392% 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: $81.0 in Pasadena, CA vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $422 vs $286 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

Pasadena, CA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pasadena, CA and Mexico City differ by about 173% in total monthly costs ($4,050 vs $1,484 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Pasadena, CA pays 392% 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: $3,388 in Pasadena, CA versus $1,000 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 182% less than in Pasadena, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,299 in Pasadena, CA versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $4,050 in Pasadena, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Pasadena, CA. 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 173% less than in Pasadena, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.