Cost of Living Comparison Between Sioux City, IA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Sioux City, IA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,147 in Sioux City, IA versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,198 in Sioux City, IA versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,249 in Sioux City, IA versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Sioux City, IA is roughly 46% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sioux City, IA 60% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.77 $15.77

$13.18 MX$228

19.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.7 $55.7

$53.9 MX$934

3.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.48 $10.48

$9.42 MX$163

11.25%

Cappuccino

$6.11 $6.11

$3.55 MX$61.5

72.11%

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

$2.24 $2.24

$1.62 MX$28.03

38.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.11 MX$19.31

54.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.88 $4.88

$3.12 MX$54.1

56.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 $7.09

$4.63 MX$80.2

53.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.70 MX$29.48

-47.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.72 MX$47.10

-5.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.91 MX$33.13

16.75%

Eggs

$3.63 $3.63

$2.54 MX$43.94

42.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 $7.91

$10.03 MX$174

-21.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.87 $7.87

$8.09 MX$140

-2.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.15 $17.15

$11.62 MX$201

47.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$2.97 MX$51.4

49.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.81 MX$31.30

-9.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.01 MX$34.88

77.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.03 MX$35.26

68.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.12 MX$36.82

-7.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.27 MX$39.32

30.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.40 MX$24.26

65.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.13 MX$19.59

96.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.74 $8.74

$4.27 MX$74.0

104.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$15.56 MX$270

-4.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.76 MX$30.44

-3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.60 MX$62.3

9.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 $1.82

$0.38 MX$6.64

378.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.46 $47.46

$19.18 MX$332

147.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.38 MX$23.84

43.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.28 MX$4.79

396.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.90 $19.90

$5.45 MX$94.4

265.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.30 MX$22.60

-44.62%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$18.7K MX$323.8K

40.51%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$23.1K MX$400.8K

6.66%

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

$144 $144

$40.86 MX$708

252.03%

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

$50.9 $50.9

$26.81 MX$465

89.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.1 $76.1

$29.96 MX$519

154.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.3 $98.3

$52.0 MX$901

89.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 $15.13

$6.30 MX$109

140.16%

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

$1,087 $1,087

$436 MX$7,558

149.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K $11.8K

$10.4K MX$180.5K

13.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.24 $43.24

$56.7 MX$982

-23.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.74 $21.74

$44.38 MX$769

-51.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 $74.1

$103 MX$1,784

-27.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.6 $89.6

$106 MX$1,829

-15.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 $764

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-25.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$959 $959

$631 MX$10.9K

51.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,464 $1,464

$2,136 MX$37.0K

-31.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,747 $1,747

$1,243 MX$21.5K

40.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,577 $1,577

$3,903 MX$67.6K

-59.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,529 $1,529

$2,064 MX$35.8K

-25.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,597 $3,597

$1,115 MX$19.3K

222.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

11.34

-41.71%

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

Last update for Sioux City, IA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $764 in Sioux City, IA and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sioux City, IA pays 223% 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: $56.0 in Sioux City, IA vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $330 vs $288 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

Sioux City, IA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sioux City, IA and Mexico City differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($2,147 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sioux City, IA pays 223% 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: $764 in Sioux City, IA versus $1,022 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 147% less than in Sioux City, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,087 in Sioux City, IA versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $2,147 in Sioux City, IA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Sioux City, IA. 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 46% less than in Sioux City, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.