Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Redding, CA and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,608 a month against $2,347 in Redding, CA, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Redding, CA, United States
Mexico City, Mexico
Redding, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,347
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Redding, CA and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Redding, CA and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,347 in Redding, CA versus $1,608 in Mexico City.

  • Redding, CA $2,347
  • Mexico City $1,608

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,370 in Redding, CA versus $2,549 in Mexico City.

  • Redding, CA $3,370
  • Mexico City $2,549

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,394 in Redding, CA versus $3,490 in Mexico City.

  • Redding, CA $4,394
  • Mexico City $3,490

Living in Redding, CA is roughly 46% more expensive than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Redding, CA 72% above, Mexico City 18% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Redding, CA
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.82 $14.82
$10.62 MX$198
39.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.7 $60.7
$48.35 MX$901
25.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.96 $11.96
$10.35 MX$193
15.56%
Cappuccino
$5.30 $5.30
$3.69 MX$68.8
43.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 $2.47
$1.67 MX$31.07
47.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 $1.95
$1.27 MX$23.59
53.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.87 $5.87
$3.19 MX$59.5
84.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.98 $4.98
$5.31 MX$98.9
-6.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Redding, CA
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$1.72 MX$32.15
-35.47%
White Bread (500g)
$4.12 $4.12
$3.04 MX$56.7
35.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.22 $3.22
$1.94 MX$36.19
65.98%
Eggs
$4.08 $4.08
$2.89 MX$53.8
41.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.76 $11.76
$10.97 MX$205
7.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.46 $16.46
$9.25 MX$172
77.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.74 $18.74
$15.13 MX$282
23.86%
Apples (1kg)
$6.02 $6.02
$3.05 MX$56.8
97.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 $1.65
$1.94 MX$36.19
-14.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.74 $2.74
$2.03 MX$37.75
34.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.55 $5.55
$2.31 MX$43.15
140.26%
Potato (1kg)
$3.95 $3.95
$2.04 MX$37.94
93.63%
Onion (1kg)
$3.02 $3.02
$1.80 MX$33.55
67.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.59 $2.59
$1.48 MX$27.58
75.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.35 $1.35
$1.27 MX$23.63
6.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.94 $11.94
$5.30 MX$98.9
125.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.58 $10.58
$16.10 MX$300
-34.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 $1.72
$1.98 MX$36.97
-13.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 $3.63
$4.25 MX$79.3
-14.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Redding, CA
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.99 $1.99
$0.31 MX$5.69
541.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$50.6 $50.6
$19.73 MX$368
156.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.22 $3.22
$1.84 MX$34.25
75.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.42 $2.42
$0.53 MX$9.94
356.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.15 $40.15
$5.30 MX$98.7
657.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 $1.53
$1.51 MX$28.16
1.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K $27.2K
$21.8K MX$405.5K
25.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K $26.5K
$24.0K MX$447.1K
10.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Redding, CA
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$191 $191
$63.0 MX$1,174
203.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.1 $59.1
$27.39 MX$511
115.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.7 $68.7
$35.67 MX$665
92.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Redding, CA
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.26 $47.26
$58.9 MX$1,099
-19.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$23.64 MX$441
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.95 $10.95
$6.40 MX$119
71.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Redding, CA
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,527 $2,527
$432 MX$8,045
485.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$37.6K $37.6K
$11.4K MX$212.9K
229.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Redding, CA
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.6 $64.6
$68.2 MX$1,272
-5.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.84 $32.84
$53.1 MX$990
-38.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.8 $91.8
$108 MX$2,009
-14.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$202 $202
$117 MX$2,186
72.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Redding, CA
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,377 $1,377
$1,113 MX$20.8K
23.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,018 $1,018
$710 MX$13.2K
43.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,876 $1,876
$2,588 MX$48.2K
-27.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,513 $1,513
$1,406 MX$26.2K
7.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,028 $3,028
$3,631 MX$67.7K
-16.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,561 $2,561
$2,135 MX$39.8K
19.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Redding, CA
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,672 $3,672
$946 MX$17.6K
288.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.7
11.35
-40.97%

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

Last update for Redding, CA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Redding, CA
$1K
Mexico City
$710 30.2% $308
Groceries & Markets
Redding, CA
$416
Mexico City
$320 23.1% $96
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Redding, CA
$319
Mexico City
$126 60.5% $193
Eating Out
Redding, CA
$275
Mexico City
$199 27.8% $76
Clothing & Footwear
Redding, CA
$176
Mexico City
$156 11.4% $20
Getting Around
Redding, CA
$74
Mexico City
$25 65.6% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Redding, CA
$69
Mexico City
$72 3.7% $2.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,377 in Redding, CA and $1,113 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Redding, CA pays about 3.9 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $61 in Redding, CA vs $48 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $416 vs $320 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Redding, CA
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
14:08 2:08 PM
15:08 3:08 PM
1 h ahead of Redding, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
91,582
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Redding, CA Mexico City 3,230 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Redding, CA
  • Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Redding, CA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Redding, CA and in Mexico City?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,347 in Redding, CA and $1,608 in Mexico City, so Mexico City is about 31% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Redding, CA or Mexico City?
Average pay in Redding, CA is about 3.9 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Redding, CA and in Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,377 in Redding, CA versus $1,113 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Redding, CA and in Mexico City?
A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 61% less than in Redding, CA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Redding, CA and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $2,527 in Redding, CA versus $432 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How far does $3,000 go in Redding, CA compared to Mexico City?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Mexico City gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Redding, CA and Mexico City?
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.
Where should expats move: Redding, CA or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Redding, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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