Cost of Living Comparison Between Passaic, NJ and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Passaic, NJ and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,768 in Passaic, NJ versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,124 in Passaic, NJ versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,481 in Passaic, NJ versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Passaic, NJ is roughly 89% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Passaic, NJ 107% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.11 $17.11

$13.18 MX$230

29.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.3 $98.3

$53.9 MX$941

82.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 $11.96

$9.42 MX$165

26.96%

Cappuccino

$5.85 $5.85

$3.55 MX$62.0

64.79%

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

$2.26 $2.26

$1.62 MX$28.25

39.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.11 MX$19.46

45.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.96 $6.96

$3.12 MX$54.5

123.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 $6.93

$4.63 MX$80.9

49.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.70 MX$29.71

-22.35%

White Bread (500g)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.72 MX$47.47

52.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$1.91 MX$33.39

204.19%

Eggs

$6.60 $6.60

$2.54 MX$44.29

159.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.31 $17.31

$10.03 MX$175

72.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.48 $10.48

$8.09 MX$141

29.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.58 $19.58

$11.62 MX$203

68.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.78 $5.78

$2.97 MX$51.8

94.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.81 MX$31.55

41.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.01 MX$35.16

117.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.03 MX$35.54

115.27%

Potato (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.12 MX$37.10

75.94%

Onion (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$2.27 MX$39.63

76.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.40 MX$24.45

115.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.13 MX$19.74

142.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.52 $17.52

$4.27 MX$74.6

310.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.76 $14.76

$15.56 MX$272

-5.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.76 MX$30.68

3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.60 MX$62.8

7.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.38 MX$6.69

418.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 $121

$19.18 MX$335

528.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.38 MX$24.03

122.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 $2.23

$0.28 MX$4.83

696.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.67 $42.67

$5.45 MX$95.1

682.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.30 MX$22.77

-26.15%

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

$23.2K $23.2K

$18.7K MX$326.4K

24.12%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$23.1K MX$404.0K

9.83%

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

$181 $181

$40.86 MX$714

344.10%

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

$54.3 $54.3

$26.81 MX$468

102.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 $58.9

$29.96 MX$523

96.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.74 $42.74

$52.0 MX$908

-17.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$469

Cinema Ticket

$20.03 $20.03

$6.30 MX$110

217.94%

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

$1,476 $1,476

$436 MX$7,617

238.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K $16.0K

$10.4K MX$181.9K

53.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 $50.3

$56.7 MX$989

-11.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.54 $48.54

$44.38 MX$775

9.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$103 MX$1,798

-16.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 $97.5

$106 MX$1,843

-7.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$1,022 MX$17.8K

55.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,330 $1,330

$631 MX$11.0K

110.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,619 $2,619

$2,136 MX$37.3K

22.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,246 $2,246

$1,243 MX$21.7K

80.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,531 $2,531

$3,903 MX$68.2K

-35.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,315 $2,315

$2,064 MX$36.1K

12.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

11.34

-43.21%

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

Last update for Passaic, NJ: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,590 in Passaic, NJ and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $98.0 in Passaic, NJ vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $461 vs $288 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

Passaic, NJ vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Passaic, NJ and Mexico City differ by about 89% in total monthly costs ($2,768 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,152 in Passaic, NJ and $2,201 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,590 in Passaic, NJ versus $1,022 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 528% less than in Passaic, NJ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,476 in Passaic, NJ versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,768 in Passaic, NJ, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Passaic, NJ. 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 89% less than in Passaic, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.