Cost of Living Comparison Between Renton, WA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Renton, WA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,987 in Renton, WA versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,012 in Renton, WA versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,036 in Renton, WA versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Renton, WA is roughly 81% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Renton, WA 117% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.97 $19.97

$12.11 MX$206

64.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.9 $90.9

$52.2 MX$887

74.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 $10.97

$10.90 MX$185

0.64%

Cappuccino

$4.89 $4.89

$4.05 MX$68.9

20.74%

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

$2.58 $2.58

$1.72 MX$29.15

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.38 MX$23.41

53.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.47 MX$58.9

40.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.81 MX$98.8

20.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.85 MX$31.50

-36.76%

White Bread (500g)

$4.10 $4.10

$3.22 MX$54.8

27.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.09 MX$35.44

74.64%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$2.91 MX$49.44

67.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$12.49 MX$212

3.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 $6.90

$10.11 MX$172

-31.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.67 $15.67

$15.89 MX$270

-1.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.31 MX$56.3

1.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.13 MX$36.14

-22.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.19 MX$37.22

0.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.45 MX$41.59

44.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.19 MX$37.20

5.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.90 MX$32.37

26.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.62 MX$27.45

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.35 MX$22.94

64.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.29 $13.29

$5.43 MX$92.2

144.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.16 $10.16

$17.59 MX$299

-42.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.07 MX$35.14

-14.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$4.75 MX$80.7

-41.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.54 $3.54

$0.34 MX$5.78

941.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 $76.0

$21.58 MX$367

252.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.04 MX$34.67

70.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 $0.66

$0.58 MX$9.82

13.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.16 $15.16

$5.97 MX$101

153.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.62 MX$27.46

-22.84%

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

$19.0K $19.0K

$22.8K MX$387.6K

-16.67%

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

$22.6K $22.6K

$26.7K MX$453.1K

-15.11%

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

$210 $210

$65.2 MX$1,109

221.70%

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

$61.5 $61.5

$29.87 MX$508

105.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.8 $61.8

$36.55 MX$621

69.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 $37.88

$61.0 MX$1,037

-37.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.72 $40.72

$26.70 MX$454

52.51%

Cinema Ticket

$15.14 $15.14

$6.85 MX$116

121.02%

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

$1,629 $1,629

$453 MX$7,705

259.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K $16.3K

$13.4K MX$227.2K

21.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 $52.2

$75.0 MX$1,274

-30.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.57 $29.57

$55.3 MX$940

-46.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.9 $62.9

$114 MX$1,931

-44.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.6 $81.6

$123 MX$2,084

-33.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,874 $1,874

$1,134 MX$19.3K

65.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,782 $1,782

$712 MX$12.1K

150.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,706 $2,706

$2,571 MX$43.7K

5.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,196 $2,196

$1,311 MX$22.3K

67.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,765 $4,765

$3,993 MX$67.8K

19.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,719 $3,719

$2,095 MX$35.6K

77.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,058 $5,058

$1,047 MX$17.8K

383.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

11.3

-46.02%

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

Last update for Renton, WA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,874 in Renton, WA and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Renton, WA pays 383% 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: $91.0 in Renton, WA vs $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $341 vs $345, with Renton, WA cheaper for home cooking.

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

Renton, WA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Renton, WA and Mexico City differ by about 81% in total monthly costs ($2,987 vs $1,646 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 383% higher in Renton, WA, 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: $1,874 in Renton, WA versus $1,134 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 252% less than in Renton, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,629 in Renton, WA versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $2,987 in Renton, WA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Renton, WA. 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 81% less than in Renton, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.