Cost of Living Comparison Between Topeka, KS and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Topeka, KS and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,919 in Topeka, KS versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,043 in Topeka, KS versus $2,342 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,167 in Topeka, KS versus $3,199 in Mexico City.

Living in Topeka, KS is roughly 29% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Topeka, KS 42% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.29 $13.29

$13.29 MX$231

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 $53.6

$53.8 MX$933

-0.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 $9.80

$9.29 MX$161

5.49%

Cappuccino

$3.58 $3.58

$3.61 MX$62.6

-0.83%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$1.56 MX$27.03

42.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.12 MX$19.46

40.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.13 MX$54.3

63.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 $5.91

$4.71 MX$81.7

25.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.70 MX$29.54

-50.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.77 MX$48.03

12.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.96 MX$34.05

11.73%

Eggs

$4.44 $4.44

$2.60 MX$45.21

70.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 $8.77

$9.94 MX$173

-11.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.83 $10.83

$8.10 MX$141

33.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 $12.78

$11.50 MX$200

11.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$2.87 MX$49.84

89.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.73 MX$30.07

12.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$2.00 MX$34.73

133.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$2.04 MX$35.38

109.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.08 MX$36.14

80.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.20 MX$38.12

12.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.45 MX$25.24

24.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.07 MX$18.63

-4.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.17 $9.17

$4.27 MX$74.2

114.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.85 $11.85

$14.32 MX$249

-17.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.76 MX$30.62

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$3.70 MX$64.2

-55.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.63 $4.63

$0.35 MX$6.12

1222.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.6 $50.6

$19.19 MX$333

163.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.34 MX$23.18

108.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 $1.35

$0.28 MX$4.83

382.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.88 $32.88

$5.33 MX$92.6

516.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.34 MX$23.27

-43.28%

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

$24.0K $24.0K

$19.1K MX$332.0K

25.76%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$23.9K MX$414.5K

3.95%

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

$113 $113

$39.86 MX$692

183.42%

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

$48.84 $48.84

$26.78 MX$465

82.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.1 $64.1

$29.36 MX$510

118.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 $58.0

$53.4 MX$927

8.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.45 $15.45

$26.09 MX$453

-40.78%

Cinema Ticket

$12.31 $12.31

$6.40 MX$111

92.34%

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

$441 $441

$440 MX$7,647

0.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$10.8K MX$186.6K

122.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.10 $22.10

$57.6 MX$1,000

-61.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.67 $19.67

$45.02 MX$781

-56.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 $72.2

$104 MX$1,801

-30.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.8 $79.8

$108 MX$1,874

-26.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 $753

$1,013 MX$17.6K

-25.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$870 $870

$630 MX$10.9K

38.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,856 $1,856

$2,162 MX$37.5K

-14.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,763 $1,763

$1,222 MX$21.2K

44.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,353 $1,353

$3,793 MX$65.8K

-64.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,337 $1,337

$2,332 MX$40.5K

-42.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,458 $3,458

$1,075 MX$18.7K

221.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.11

11.34

-46.12%

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

Last update for Topeka, KS: April 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $753 in Topeka, KS and $1,013 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Topeka, KS pays 222% 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: $54 in Topeka, KS vs $54 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $335 vs $285, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

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

Topeka, KS vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Topeka, KS and Mexico City differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,919 vs $1,484 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Topeka, KS pays 222% 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: $753 in Topeka, KS versus $1,013 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 164% less than in Topeka, KS. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $441 in Topeka, KS versus $440 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,919 in Topeka, KS, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Topeka, KS. 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 29% less than in Topeka, KS. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.