Cost of Living Comparison Between Schaumburg, IL and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Schaumburg, IL and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,225 in Schaumburg, IL versus $1,481 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,511 in Schaumburg, IL versus $2,352 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,798 in Schaumburg, IL versus $3,222 in Mexico City.

Living in Schaumburg, IL is roughly 118% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Schaumburg, IL 141% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.91 $14.91

$13.16 MX$229

13.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$53.6 MX$932

87.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.24 $13.24

$9.55 MX$166

38.64%

Cappuccino

$4.81 $4.81

$3.72 MX$64.8

29.30%

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

$2.66 $2.66

$1.57 MX$27.28

69.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.16 MX$20.12

97.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 $4.43

$3.18 MX$55.4

39.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 $6.11

$4.63 MX$80.6

31.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.71 MX$29.67

-51.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.62 MX$45.54

51.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$1.89 MX$32.87

313.23%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$2.60 MX$45.17

59.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.41 $14.41

$9.91 MX$172

45.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.69 $13.69

$8.22 MX$143

66.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.91 $17.91

$11.78 MX$205

52.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$3.00 MX$52.1

80.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.80 MX$31.32

65.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.07 MX$36.08

135.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.97 MX$34.23

108.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.07 MX$36.05

60.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.17 MX$37.84

54.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.40 MX$24.41

40.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.07 MX$18.70

220.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.78 $17.78

$4.12 MX$71.7

331.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.21 $19.21

$17.42 MX$303

10.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.68 MX$29.16

5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.59 $5.59

$3.65 MX$63.5

53.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.38 MX$6.62

418.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$326

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.33 MX$23.13

166.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.30 MX$5.27

446.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.49 $29.49

$5.51 MX$95.9

435.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.31 MX$22.72

-34.35%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$19.2K MX$333.5K

35.97%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$23.7K MX$413.3K

23.21%

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

$333 $333

$41.14 MX$716

710.40%

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

$76.3 $76.3

$27.74 MX$483

175.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$161 $161

$30.13 MX$524

435.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 $63.6

$53.7 MX$935

18.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.17 $39.17

$25.98 MX$452

50.77%

Cinema Ticket

$20.06 $20.06

$6.49 MX$113

209.09%

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

$1,273 $1,273

$437 MX$7,598

191.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$83.9K $83.9K

$10.5K MX$182.0K

702.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.3 $75.3

$58.3 MX$1,015

29.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.78 $49.78

$45.86 MX$798

8.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 $99.1

$101 MX$1,765

-2.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$107 MX$1,854

13.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,953 $1,953

$1,005 MX$17.5K

94.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,681 $1,681

$634 MX$11.0K

165.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,555 $2,555

$2,148 MX$37.4K

18.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,393 $2,393

$1,247 MX$21.7K

91.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,161 $2,161

$3,859 MX$67.2K

-43.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,063 $2,063

$2,085 MX$36.3K

-1.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,953 $4,953

$1,072 MX$18.7K

361.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

11.34

-43.92%

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

Last update for Schaumburg, IL: July 20, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,953 in Schaumburg, IL and $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaumburg, IL pays 362% 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 Schaumburg, IL vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $470 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

Schaumburg, IL vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Schaumburg, IL and Mexico City differ by about 118% in total monthly costs ($3,225 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 362% higher in Schaumburg, IL, 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: $1,953 in Schaumburg, IL versus $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,273 in Schaumburg, IL versus $437 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $100 in Schaumburg, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,481 in Mexico City versus $3,225 in Schaumburg, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Schaumburg, IL. 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, Schaumburg, IL 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 118% less than in Schaumburg, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.