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: $2,850 in Raleigh, NC versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,128 in Raleigh, NC versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,406 in Raleigh, NC versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Raleigh, NC is roughly 97% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Raleigh, NC 112% above, Mexico City 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.36 $19.36

$12.98 MX$223

49.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.5 $75.5

$52.6 MX$903

43.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 $10.15

$9.43 MX$162

7.64%

Cappuccino

$5.31 $5.31

$3.57 MX$61.3

48.74%

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

$2.34 $2.34

$1.61 MX$27.55

45.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.15 MX$19.81

72.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.53 $5.53

$3.15 MX$54.0

75.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 $5.83

$4.86 MX$83.4

19.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.70 MX$29.17

-49.41%

White Bread (500g)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.64 MX$45.23

54.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$1.90 MX$32.67

66.32%

Eggs

$4.71 $4.71

$2.54 MX$43.62

85.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.60 $13.60

$10.08 MX$173

34.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.55 $11.55

$8.29 MX$142

39.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.44 $16.44

$11.57 MX$199

42.09%

Apples (1kg)

$6.73 $6.73

$3.03 MX$52.0

122.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.71 MX$29.35

-14.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$2.05 MX$35.16

172.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.09 $6.09

$2.06 MX$35.36

195.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.06 MX$35.43

77.67%

Onion (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$2.17 MX$37.25

88.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.40 MX$24.08

60.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.12 MX$19.26

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.68 $7.68

$4.29 MX$73.7

79.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.77 $14.77

$15.41 MX$265

-4.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.67 MX$28.74

20.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.69 MX$63.3

-17.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.38 MX$6.55

439.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.71 $45.71

$19.06 MX$327

139.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.38 MX$23.70

86.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$0.28 MX$4.74

503.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.13 $15.13

$5.42 MX$92.9

179.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.28 MX$21.98

-37.50%

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

55.46%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

11.11%

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

$187 $187

$41.02 MX$704

354.88%

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

$63.8 $63.8

$26.92 MX$462

136.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 $72.2

$29.69 MX$510

143.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.04 $40.04

$52.3 MX$898

-23.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.03 $34.03

$26.23 MX$450

29.74%

Cinema Ticket

$14.86 $14.86

$6.18 MX$106

140.45%

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

$1,492 $1,492

$427 MX$7,331

249.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

124.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 $52.3

$56.8 MX$975

-7.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.35 $48.35

$44.83 MX$769

7.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$105 MX$1,794

-3.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$106 MX$1,819

29.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 $1,792

$995 MX$17.1K

80.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 $1,573

$621 MX$10.7K

153.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,003 $3,003

$2,126 MX$36.5K

41.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 $2,419

$1,254 MX$21.5K

92.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,872 $3,872

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-0.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,199 $2,199

$2,096 MX$36.0K

4.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,384 $4,384

$1,107 MX$19.0K

295.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

11.34

-42.42%

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

Last update for Raleigh, NC: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,792 in Raleigh, NC and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Raleigh, NC pays 296% 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: $75.0 in Raleigh, NC vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $425 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

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

Raleigh, NC and Mexico City differ by about 97% in total monthly costs ($2,850 vs $1,447 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Raleigh, NC pays 296% 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: $1,792 in Raleigh, NC versus $995 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 140% less than in Raleigh, NC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,492 in Raleigh, NC versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $2,850 in Raleigh, NC, a $2,000 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 97% less than in Raleigh, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.