Cost of Living Comparison Between Philadelphia, PA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Philadelphia, PA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,958 in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,388 in Philadelphia, PA versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,817 in Philadelphia, PA versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Philadelphia, PA is roughly 102% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Philadelphia, PA 121% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.74 $19.74

$13.18 MX$228

49.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$53.9 MX$931

64.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.03 $12.03

$9.42 MX$163

27.71%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$3.55 MX$61.3

38.87%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$1.62 MX$27.95

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.11 MX$19.25

74.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$3.12 MX$53.9

91.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 $6.80

$4.63 MX$80.0

46.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.70 MX$29.40

-19.41%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 $4.13

$2.72 MX$46.97

51.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$10.28 $10.28

$1.91 MX$33.04

438.22%

Eggs

$4.49 $4.49

$2.54 MX$43.82

76.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.12 $15.12

$10.03 MX$173

50.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.67 $13.67

$8.09 MX$140

68.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.23 $21.23

$11.62 MX$201

82.70%

Apples (1kg)

$6.13 $6.13

$2.97 MX$51.3

106.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.81 MX$31.21

23.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$2.01 MX$34.79

157.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$2.03 MX$35.16

156.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.12 MX$36.71

54.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.27 MX$39.21

26.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.40 MX$24.20

116.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.13 MX$19.53

115.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.68 $12.68

$4.27 MX$73.8

196.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 $15.03

$15.56 MX$269

-3.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.76 MX$30.36

10.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 $4.10

$3.60 MX$62.1

13.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 $2.54

$0.38 MX$6.62

568.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.1 $94.1

$19.18 MX$331

390.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.38 MX$23.77

115.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$0.28 MX$4.78

467.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.44 $22.44

$5.45 MX$94.1

311.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.30 MX$22.53

-33.85%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$18.7K MX$322.9K

44.92%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$23.1K MX$399.7K

10.02%

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

$270 $270

$40.86 MX$706

560.08%

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

$61.9 $61.9

$26.81 MX$463

130.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.3 $77.3

$29.96 MX$518

157.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.48 $49.48

$52.0 MX$899

-4.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.90 $32.90

$26.84 MX$464

22.58%

Cinema Ticket

$14.92 $14.92

$6.30 MX$109

136.83%

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

$2,044 $2,044

$436 MX$7,536

368.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.1K $43.1K

$10.4K MX$180.0K

313.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 $51.1

$56.7 MX$979

-9.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.53 $42.53

$44.38 MX$767

-4.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 $93.7

$103 MX$1,779

-8.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$106 MX$1,823

33.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,791 $1,791

$1,022 MX$17.7K

75.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,388 $1,388

$631 MX$10.9K

119.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,149 $3,149

$2,136 MX$36.9K

47.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,263 $2,263

$1,243 MX$21.5K

82.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,044 $4,044

$3,903 MX$67.4K

3.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,844 $1,844

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-10.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,475 $4,475

$1,115 MX$19.3K

301.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

11.34

-41.09%

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

Last update for Philadelphia, PA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,791 in Philadelphia, PA and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Philadelphia, PA pays 301% 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: $89.0 in Philadelphia, PA vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $487 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

Philadelphia, PA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Philadelphia, PA and Mexico City differ by about 102% in total monthly costs ($2,958 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Philadelphia, PA pays 301% 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: $1,791 in Philadelphia, PA 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 391% less than in Philadelphia, PA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,044 in Philadelphia, PA 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 $2,958 in Philadelphia, PA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Philadelphia, PA. 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 102% less than in Philadelphia, PA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.