Cost of Living Comparison Between Sacramento, CA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Sacramento, CA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,332 in Sacramento, CA versus $1,481 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,796 in Sacramento, CA versus $2,352 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,260 in Sacramento, CA versus $3,222 in Mexico City.

Living in Sacramento, CA is roughly 125% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sacramento, CA 149% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.68 $19.68

$13.16 MX$229

49.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 $78.5

$53.6 MX$932

46.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.31 $10.31

$9.55 MX$166

7.96%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$3.72 MX$64.8

51.34%

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

$2.59 $2.59

$1.57 MX$27.28

64.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.16 MX$20.12

75.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 $7.90

$3.18 MX$55.4

148.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.95 $7.95

$4.63 MX$80.6

71.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.71 MX$29.67

-30.99%

White Bread (500g)

$4.20 $4.20

$2.62 MX$45.54

60.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$1.89 MX$32.87

195.24%

Eggs

$4.59 $4.59

$2.60 MX$45.17

76.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.41 $15.41

$9.91 MX$172

55.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.23 $15.23

$8.22 MX$143

85.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 $19.12

$11.78 MX$205

62.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.24 $5.24

$3.00 MX$52.1

74.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.80 MX$31.32

16.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.07 MX$36.08

95.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.75 $6.75

$1.97 MX$34.23

242.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$2.07 MX$36.05

73.43%

Onion (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$2.17 MX$37.84

119.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.40 MX$24.41

99.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.07 MX$18.70

122.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.41 $11.41

$4.12 MX$71.7

176.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$17.42 MX$303

-9.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.68 MX$29.16

22.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.65 MX$63.5

-18.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.38 MX$6.62

539.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.2 $98.2

$18.71 MX$326

424.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.33 MX$23.13

203.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$0.30 MX$5.27

526.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.46 $27.46

$5.51 MX$95.9

398.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.31 MX$22.72

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$19.2K MX$333.5K

56.45%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$23.7K MX$413.3K

19.42%

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

$322 $322

$41.14 MX$716

682.40%

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

$60.4 $60.4

$27.74 MX$483

117.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 $75.8

$30.13 MX$524

151.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.61 $45.61

$53.7 MX$935

-15.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.96 $29.96

$25.98 MX$452

15.32%

Cinema Ticket

$13.88 $13.88

$6.49 MX$113

113.87%

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

$1,714 $1,714

$437 MX$7,598

292.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.4K $27.4K

$10.5K MX$182.0K

162.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 $59.1

$58.3 MX$1,015

1.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.7 $63.7

$45.86 MX$798

38.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 $93.2

$101 MX$1,765

-8.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 $125

$107 MX$1,854

17.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 $2,066

$1,005 MX$17.5K

105.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,722 $1,722

$634 MX$11.0K

171.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,496 $3,496

$2,148 MX$37.4K

62.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,930 $2,930

$1,247 MX$21.7K

134.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,914 $4,914

$3,859 MX$67.2K

27.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,441 $3,441

$2,085 MX$36.3K

65.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,646 $4,646

$1,072 MX$18.7K

333.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

11.34

-42.06%

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

Last update for Sacramento, CA: July 21, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,066 in Sacramento, CA and $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sacramento, CA pays 333% 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: $78.0 in Sacramento, CA vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $471 vs $291 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

Sacramento, CA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sacramento, CA and Mexico City differ by about 125% in total monthly costs ($3,332 vs $1,481 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 333% higher in Sacramento, CA, 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: $2,066 in Sacramento, CA versus $1,005 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 425% less than in Sacramento, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,714 in Sacramento, CA versus $437 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,481 in Mexico City versus $3,332 in Sacramento, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Sacramento, CA. 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 125% less than in Sacramento, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.