Cost of Living Comparison Between Salem, MA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Salem, MA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,388 in Salem, MA versus $1,682 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,705 in Salem, MA versus $2,599 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,022 in Salem, MA versus $3,516 in Mexico City.

Living in Salem, MA is roughly 101% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Salem, MA 147% above, Mexico City 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.25 $25.25

$11.83 MX$202

113.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$52.2 MX$890

92.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.07 $11.07

$10.87 MX$185

1.84%

Cappuccino

$5.05 $5.05

$4.03 MX$68.7

25.31%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$1.71 MX$29.18

47.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.34 MX$22.85

57.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.11 $8.11

$3.39 MX$57.9

139.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 $6.97

$5.74 MX$98.0

21.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.89 MX$32.20

-31.75%

White Bread (500g)

$4.53 $4.53

$3.17 MX$54.1

42.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.05 MX$34.96

110.73%

Eggs

$4.21 $4.21

$3.01 MX$51.4

39.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$12.61 MX$215

12.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.60 $11.60

$9.94 MX$170

16.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 $16.77

$16.00 MX$273

4.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.28 MX$56.0

39.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.06 MX$35.10

-37.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.09 MX$35.59

113.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$2.50 MX$42.72

90.80%

Potato (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$2.05 MX$34.99

114.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.87 MX$31.91

56.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.57 MX$26.84

56.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.39 MX$23.79

59.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.16 $10.16

$5.38 MX$91.8

88.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 $13.18

$17.95 MX$306

-26.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.02 MX$34.54

-0.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.76 MX$81.2

-26.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.36 MX$6.17

450.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.0 $56.0

$20.80 MX$355

169.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.06 MX$35.15

44.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.56 MX$9.61

217.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.21 $28.21

$5.82 MX$99.2

384.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.54 MX$26.22

-42.86%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$22.5K MX$383.1K

60.52%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.5K MX$451.7K

-1.90%

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

$203 $203

$66.0 MX$1,125

208.03%

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

$59.1 $59.1

$30.98 MX$528

90.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 $66.0

$36.20 MX$617

82.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.78 $42.78

$57.5 MX$981

-25.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$14.86 $14.86

$7.13 MX$122

108.42%

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

$1,433 $1,433

$457 MX$7,789

213.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$13.2K MX$226.0K

74.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.0 $71.0

$75.8 MX$1,293

-6.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 $57.4

$54.1 MX$923

5.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 $95.7

$116 MX$1,987

-17.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.1 $98.1

$122 MX$2,076

-19.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,341 $2,341

$1,147 MX$19.6K

104.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,955 $1,955

$726 MX$12.4K

169.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,603 $3,603

$2,503 MX$42.7K

43.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$1,331 MX$22.7K

114.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,715 $2,715

$3,895 MX$66.4K

-30.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,396 $2,396

$2,149 MX$36.7K

11.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,399 $9,399

$1,069 MX$18.2K

779.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

11.35

-46.08%

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

Last update for Salem, MA: August 18, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,341 in Salem, MA and $1,147 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salem, MA pays 779% 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: $100 in Salem, MA vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $344 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

Salem, MA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salem, MA and Mexico City differ by about 101% in total monthly costs ($3,388 vs $1,682 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 779% higher in Salem, MA, 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: $2,341 in Salem, MA versus $1,147 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 169% less than in Salem, MA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,433 in Salem, MA versus $457 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,682 in Mexico City versus $3,388 in Salem, MA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Salem, MA. 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.

Safety-wise, Salem, MA and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Salem, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.