Cost of Living Comparison Between Roma, TX and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Roma, TX and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,632 in Roma, TX versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,847 in Roma, TX versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,062 in Roma, TX versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Roma, TX is roughly 77% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Roma, TX 97% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.66 $18.66

$12.98 MX$226

43.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.8 $73.8

$53.1 MX$923

39.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.02 $11.02

$9.72 MX$169

13.37%

Cappuccino

$5.01 $5.01

$3.75 MX$65.2

33.60%

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

$2.58 $2.58

$1.57 MX$27.30

64.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.13 MX$19.64

72.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 $5.95

$3.18 MX$55.3

87.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.02 $7.02

$4.66 MX$81.1

50.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.62 MX$28.21

-36.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.71 MX$47.09

30.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.88 MX$32.70

132.98%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$2.51 MX$43.65

69.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.50 $12.50

$10.08 MX$175

24.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 $11.56

$8.29 MX$144

39.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.26 $15.26

$11.94 MX$208

27.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$2.86 MX$49.77

73.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.75 MX$30.45

-6.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$2.08 MX$36.27

101.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$1.97 MX$34.27

140.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.16 MX$37.58

29.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.18 MX$37.94

32.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.39 MX$24.20

49.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.12 MX$19.57

86.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.65 $9.65

$4.20 MX$73.1

129.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$14.25 MX$248

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.76 MX$30.68

2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.68 MX$64.1

-7.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.39 MX$6.71

423.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.81 $25.81

$18.66 MX$325

38.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.39 MX$24.12

157.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.30 MX$5.29

446.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.63 $28.63

$5.42 MX$94.3

428.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.35 MX$23.50

-37.78%

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

$29.1K $29.1K

$18.9K MX$328.6K

54.34%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$23.2K MX$402.8K

10.19%

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

$185 $185

$40.82 MX$710

352.55%

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

$53.4 $53.4

$27.50 MX$479

94.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.2 $68.2

$30.38 MX$529

124.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.27 $42.27

$53.4 MX$930

-20.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.21 $20.21

$26.30 MX$458

-23.16%

Cinema Ticket

$13.36 $13.36

$6.27 MX$109

113.08%

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

$1,278 $1,278

$436 MX$7,588

192.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$10.5K MX$182.1K

125.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 $51.1

$56.8 MX$988

-9.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 $40.11

$44.79 MX$779

-10.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 $87.7

$103 MX$1,789

-14.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$108 MX$1,878

5.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 $1,596

$1,000 MX$17.4K

59.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 $1,356

$620 MX$10.8K

118.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,598 $2,598

$2,137 MX$37.2K

21.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,223 $2,223

$1,235 MX$21.5K

79.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,727 $2,727

$3,865 MX$67.3K

-29.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,350 $2,350

$2,332 MX$40.6K

0.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,342 $1,342

$1,067 MX$18.6K

25.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.34

-42.59%

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

Last update for Roma, TX: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,596 in Roma, TX and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Roma, TX pays 26% 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: $74.0 in Roma, TX vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 vs $286 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

Roma, TX vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Roma, TX and Mexico City differ by about 77% in total monthly costs ($2,632 vs $1,484 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Roma, TX pays 26% 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: $1,596 in Roma, TX versus $1,000 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 38% less than in Roma, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,278 in Roma, TX versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,632 in Roma, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Roma, TX. 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 77% less than in Roma, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.