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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,731 in Salem, OR versus $1,682 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,880 in Salem, OR versus $2,599 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,028 in Salem, OR versus $3,516 in Mexico City.

Living in Salem, OR is roughly 62% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Salem, OR 99% above, Mexico City 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.95 $18.95

$11.83 MX$200

60.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$52.2 MX$884

70.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 $10.89

$10.87 MX$184

0.18%

Cappuccino

$4.60 $4.60

$4.03 MX$68.2

14.14%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$1.71 MX$28.99

50.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.34 MX$22.70

47.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.77 $4.77

$3.39 MX$57.5

40.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 $7.14

$5.74 MX$97.3

24.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.89 MX$31.99

-38.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 $3.64

$3.17 MX$53.8

14.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$2.05 MX$34.74

96.59%

Eggs

$4.93 $4.93

$3.01 MX$51.1

63.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.82 $14.82

$12.61 MX$214

17.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.93 $13.93

$9.94 MX$169

40.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.49 $18.49

$16.00 MX$271

15.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$3.28 MX$55.6

46.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.06 MX$34.87

-12.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.09 MX$35.36

87.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$2.50 MX$42.44

59.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.05 MX$34.76

43.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$1.87 MX$31.70

74.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.57 MX$26.66

14.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.39 MX$23.64

53.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.05 $13.05

$5.38 MX$91.2

142.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.91 $14.91

$17.95 MX$304

-16.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.02 MX$34.31

-17.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$4.76 MX$80.7

-37.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.36 MX$6.13

441.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.18 $45.18

$20.80 MX$353

117.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.06 MX$34.92

71.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.56 MX$9.55

280.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.48 $49.48

$5.82 MX$98.6

750.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.54 MX$26.05

-22.73%

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

$33.6K $33.6K

$22.5K MX$380.6K

49.80%

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

$23.8K $23.8K

$26.5K MX$448.7K

-10.02%

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

$216 $216

$66.0 MX$1,118

227.35%

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

$61.0 $61.0

$30.98 MX$525

96.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$96.5 $96.5

$36.20 MX$613

166.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.52 $45.52

$57.5 MX$975

-20.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$14.72 $14.72

$7.13 MX$121

106.45%

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

$1,090 $1,090

$457 MX$7,738

138.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K $16.4K

$13.2K MX$224.5K

23.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$75.8 MX$1,285

-25.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.86 $46.86

$54.1 MX$917

-13.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 $85.4

$116 MX$1,974

-26.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 $80.2

$122 MX$2,063

-34.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,553 $1,553

$1,147 MX$19.4K

35.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,402 $1,402

$726 MX$12.3K

93.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,352 $2,352

$2,503 MX$42.4K

-6.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 $2,020

$1,331 MX$22.6K

51.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,009 $3,009

$3,895 MX$66.0K

-22.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,033 $3,033

$2,149 MX$36.4K

41.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,779 $3,779

$1,069 MX$18.1K

253.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

11.35

-46.52%

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

Last update for Salem, OR: August 16, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,553 in Salem, OR and $1,147 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salem, OR pays 254% 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: $89.0 in Salem, OR vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $416 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, OR vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salem, OR and Mexico City differ by about 62% in total monthly costs ($2,731 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 254% higher in Salem, OR, 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: $1,553 in Salem, OR 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 117% less than in Salem, OR. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,090 in Salem, OR 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 $2,731 in Salem, OR, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Salem, OR. 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 62% less than in Salem, OR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.