Cost of Living Comparison Between Rockville, MD and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Rockville, MD and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,087 in Rockville, MD versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,711 in Rockville, MD versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,336 in Rockville, MD versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Rockville, MD is roughly 84% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rockville, MD 124% above, Mexico City 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.16 $24.16

$12.14 MX$206

99.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.7 $76.7

$53.9 MX$914

42.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$11.09 MX$188

-8.21%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$4.10 MX$69.5

33.41%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$1.68 MX$28.53

56.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.39 MX$23.55

28.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.59 $6.59

$3.33 MX$56.5

97.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.60 $7.60

$5.88 MX$99.7

29.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.85 MX$31.41

-38.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.17 MX$53.8

-6.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.07 MX$35.13

27.54%

Eggs

$4.02 $4.02

$2.93 MX$49.67

37.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 $9.50

$12.59 MX$214

-24.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 $13.85

$10.11 MX$172

36.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$16.09 MX$273

16.28%

Apples (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$3.39 MX$57.5

65.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$2.08 MX$35.26

-37.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$2.12 MX$35.97

164.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$2.41 MX$40.95

84.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.13 MX$36.11

32.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.01 MX$34.02

31.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.55 MX$26.21

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.36 MX$23.15

31.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.12 $14.12

$5.77 MX$97.8

144.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 $14.28

$17.74 MX$301

-19.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.07 MX$35.11

18.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 $3.69

$4.61 MX$78.3

-19.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.31 $3.31

$0.37 MX$6.21

794.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 $142

$21.18 MX$359

572.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.05 MX$34.84

148.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.58 MX$9.79

93.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.10 $23.10

$6.07 MX$103

280.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.55 MX$26.34

-33.55%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$22.9K MX$388.1K

50.42%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$27.2K MX$462.0K

-8.16%

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

$297 $297

$67.4 MX$1,144

339.89%

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

$49.90 $49.90

$30.62 MX$520

62.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 $60.2

$37.24 MX$632

61.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.52 $42.52

$61.5 MX$1,043

-30.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.59 $12.59

$27.12 MX$460

-53.58%

Cinema Ticket

$16.30 $16.30

$7.11 MX$121

129.25%

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

$1,887 $1,887

$456 MX$7,739

313.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K $28.2K

$13.7K MX$232.3K

106.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.38 $46.38

$74.2 MX$1,259

-37.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.55 $40.55

$57.0 MX$967

-28.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 $88.6

$115 MX$1,958

-23.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$122 MX$2,061

6.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 $2,090

$1,148 MX$19.5K

82.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,553 $1,553

$709 MX$12.0K

118.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,807 $3,807

$2,577 MX$43.7K

47.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,893 $2,893

$1,295 MX$22.0K

123.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,315 $4,315

$4,005 MX$67.9K

7.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,456 $2,456

$2,130 MX$36.1K

15.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,208 $6,208

$1,082 MX$18.4K

473.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

11.3

-46.64%

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

Last update for Rockville, MD: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,090 in Rockville, MD and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rockville, MD pays 474% 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: $77.0 in Rockville, MD vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $394 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

Rockville, MD vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rockville, MD and Mexico City differ by about 84% in total monthly costs ($3,087 vs $1,677 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 474% higher in Rockville, MD, 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: $2,090 in Rockville, MD versus $1,148 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 572% less than in Rockville, MD. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,887 in Rockville, MD versus $456 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $3,087 in Rockville, MD, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Rockville, MD. 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 84% less than in Rockville, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.