Cost of Living Comparison Between Stafford, VA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Stafford, VA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,647 in Stafford, VA versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,146 in Stafford, VA versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,644 in Stafford, VA versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Stafford, VA is roughly 58% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Stafford, VA 92% above, Mexico City 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.19 $17.19

$12.14 MX$206

41.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 $121

$53.9 MX$914

123.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 $12.14

$11.09 MX$188

9.47%

Cappuccino

$5.52 $5.52

$4.10 MX$69.5

34.63%

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

$3.27 $3.27

$1.68 MX$28.53

94.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.39 MX$23.55

76.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 $7.09

$3.33 MX$56.5

112.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.83 $9.83

$5.88 MX$99.7

67.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.85 MX$31.41

-31.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.17 MX$53.8

-2.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.91 $6.91

$2.07 MX$35.13

233.82%

Eggs

$4.91 $4.91

$2.93 MX$49.67

67.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 $16.91

$12.59 MX$214

34.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.19 $11.19

$10.11 MX$172

10.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.02 $19.02

$16.09 MX$273

18.21%

Apples (1kg)

$6.84 $6.84

$3.39 MX$57.5

101.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.08 MX$35.26

14.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$2.12 MX$35.97

141.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$2.41 MX$40.95

143.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.13 MX$36.11

31.92%

Onion (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.01 MX$34.02

93.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.55 MX$26.21

64.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.36 MX$23.15

94.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.78 $13.78

$5.77 MX$97.8

138.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 $15.76

$17.74 MX$301

-11.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.07 MX$35.11

61.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.61 MX$78.3

25.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 $2.24

$0.37 MX$6.21

505.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.05 MX$34.84

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.58 MX$9.79

175.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.97 $24.97

$6.07 MX$103

311.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.55 MX$26.34

-34.19%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$22.9K MX$388.1K

55.86%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$27.2K MX$462.0K

-2.39%

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

$139 $139

$67.4 MX$1,144

106.01%

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

$80.0 $80.0

$30.62 MX$520

161.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.6 $75.6

$37.24 MX$632

103.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 $42.67

$61.5 MX$1,043

-30.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$18.18 $18.18

$7.11 MX$121

155.70%

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

$1,435 $1,435

$456 MX$7,739

214.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.0K $41.0K

$13.7K MX$232.3K

199.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.6 $72.6

$74.2 MX$1,259

-2.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 $44.79

$57.0 MX$967

-21.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$115 MX$1,958

-10.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$122 MX$2,061

3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 $1,597

$1,148 MX$19.5K

39.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 $1,299

$709 MX$12.0K

83.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,602 $2,602

$2,577 MX$43.7K

0.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,341 $2,341

$1,295 MX$22.0K

80.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 $2,866

$4,005 MX$67.9K

-28.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,424 $2,424

$2,130 MX$36.1K

13.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,543 $7,543

$1,082 MX$18.4K

597.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

-46.90%

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

Last update for Stafford, VA: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,597 in Stafford, VA and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stafford, VA pays 597% 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: $121 in Stafford, VA vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $471 vs $345 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

Stafford, VA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stafford, VA and Mexico City differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($2,647 vs $1,677 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 597% higher in Stafford, VA, 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: $1,597 in Stafford, VA versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,435 in Stafford, VA versus $456 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 $121 in Stafford, VA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $2,647 in Stafford, VA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Stafford, VA. 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 58% less than in Stafford, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.