Cost of Living Comparison Between Raleigh, NC and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Raleigh, NC and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,679 in Raleigh, NC versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,931 in Raleigh, NC versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,182 in Raleigh, NC versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Raleigh, NC is roughly 61% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Raleigh, NC 96% above, Mexico City 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.34 $23.34

$11.92 MX$206

95.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.8 $98.8

$51.6 MX$890

91.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 $10.93

$11.41 MX$197

-4.21%

Cappuccino

$5.86 $5.86

$3.99 MX$68.9

46.87%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$1.66 MX$28.61

68.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.33 MX$22.87

69.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 $6.02

$3.47 MX$59.9

73.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.85 $6.85

$5.90 MX$102

16.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.88 MX$32.36

-52.13%

White Bread (500g)

$4.01 $4.01

$3.25 MX$56.1

23.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.16 MX$37.26

43.98%

Eggs

$4.67 $4.67

$2.90 MX$49.94

61.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.28 $15.28

$12.86 MX$222

18.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 $10.23

$10.05 MX$173

1.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.86 $17.86

$15.86 MX$273

12.61%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$3.29 MX$56.8

105.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 $1.25

$2.01 MX$34.60

-37.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.20 MX$37.93

98.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$2.36 MX$40.63

151.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.05 MX$35.43

48.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.90 MX$32.79

83.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.61 MX$27.68

31.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.40 MX$24.09

53.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.59 $9.59

$5.46 MX$94.2

75.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 $15.03

$17.65 MX$304

-14.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.06 MX$35.44

8.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$4.68 MX$80.8

-40.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.34 MX$5.84

317.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.50 $39.50

$20.81 MX$359

89.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.10 MX$36.15

44.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 $1.85

$0.56 MX$9.64

230.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.06 $18.06

$5.81 MX$100

210.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.61 MX$27.68

-40.37%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

57.24%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

-4.35%

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

$195 $195

$65.2 MX$1,124

198.56%

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

$57.0 $57.0

$30.09 MX$519

89.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$37.18 MX$641

81.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.32 $35.32

$59.8 MX$1,030

-40.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.91 $4.91

$26.55 MX$458

-81.51%

Cinema Ticket

$15.02 $15.02

$7.04 MX$121

113.35%

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

$1,508 $1,508

$465 MX$8,012

224.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

84.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 $54.7

$75.9 MX$1,308

-27.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.9 $58.9

$56.0 MX$965

5.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 $91.2

$112 MX$1,929

-18.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$121 MX$2,078

17.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,715 $1,715

$1,103 MX$19.0K

55.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 $1,296

$721 MX$12.4K

79.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,057 $3,057

$2,530 MX$43.6K

20.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 $2,009

$1,293 MX$22.3K

55.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,856 $3,856

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-3.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,189 $2,189

$2,090 MX$36.0K

4.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,421 $4,421

$1,037 MX$17.9K

326.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.2

11.3

-45.13%

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

Last update for Raleigh, NC: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,715 in Raleigh, NC and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Raleigh, NC pays 326% 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: $99.0 in Raleigh, NC vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $416 vs $345 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

Raleigh, NC vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Raleigh, NC and Mexico City differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($2,679 vs $1,660 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 326% higher in Raleigh, NC, 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: $1,715 in Raleigh, NC versus $1,103 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 90% less than in Raleigh, NC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,508 in Raleigh, NC versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,679 in Raleigh, NC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Raleigh, NC. 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 61% less than in Raleigh, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.