Cost of Living Comparison Between Union City, TN and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Union City, TN and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,666 in Union City, TN versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,483 in Union City, TN versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,300 in Union City, TN versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Union City, TN is roughly 1% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Union City, TN 21% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.05 $10.05

$12.11 MX$204

-17.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.44 $49.44

$52.2 MX$881

-5.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.93 $6.93

$10.90 MX$184

-36.42%

Cappuccino

$3.12 $3.12

$4.05 MX$68.4

-22.96%

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

$2.12 $2.12

$1.72 MX$28.95

23.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.38 MX$23.25

10.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.47 MX$58.5

14.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.81 MX$98.1

-32.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.85 MX$31.28

-50.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.22 MX$54.4

-29.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.09 MX$35.20

Eggs

$2.70 $2.70

$2.91 MX$49.10

-7.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 $7.95

$12.49 MX$211

-36.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.48 $8.48

$10.11 MX$171

-16.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.64 $18.64

$15.89 MX$268

17.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$3.31 MX$56.0

33.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$2.13 MX$35.90

-38.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.19 MX$36.97

29.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.45 MX$41.31

77.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.19 MX$36.95

-4.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.90 MX$32.15

-0.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.62 MX$27.26

4.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.35 MX$22.78

1.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.03 $7.03

$5.43 MX$91.6

29.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.91 $13.91

$17.59 MX$297

-20.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.07 MX$34.90

-0.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$4.75 MX$80.1

-61.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.86 $1.86

$0.34 MX$5.74

447.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.04 MX$34.44

143.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.58 MX$9.75

160.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.83 $20.83

$5.97 MX$101

248.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.62 MX$27.27

-53.70%

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

$37.3K $37.3K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

63.47%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$26.7K MX$450.0K

2.06%

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

$224 $224

$65.2 MX$1,101

242.67%

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

$32.84 $32.84

$29.87 MX$504

9.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.8 $76.8

$36.55 MX$617

110.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.46 $41.46

$61.0 MX$1,030

-32.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 $6.89

$26.70 MX$451

-74.19%

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 $15.13

$6.85 MX$116

120.88%

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

$1,433 $1,433

$453 MX$7,652

215.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K $30.5K

$13.4K MX$225.7K

128.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$75.0 MX$1,265

-26.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 $42.99

$55.3 MX$933

-22.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 $91.9

$114 MX$1,917

-19.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$123 MX$2,070

12.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 $719

$1,134 MX$19.1K

-36.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 $582

$712 MX$12.0K

-18.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 $1,148

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-55.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 $1,084

$1,311 MX$22.1K

-17.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,618 $2,618

$3,993 MX$67.4K

-34.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,438 $2,438

$2,095 MX$35.4K

16.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,005 $2,005

$1,047 MX$17.7K

91.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

11.3

-46.28%

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

Last update for Union City, TN: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $719 in Union City, TN and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Union City, TN pays 92% 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: $49.00 in Union City, TN vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $311 vs $345 per month, with Union City, TN 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

Union City, TN vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Union City, TN and Mexico City differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,666 vs $1,646 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 92% higher in Union City, TN, 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: $719 in Union City, TN versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,433 in Union City, TN versus $453 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 $52.0 versus $49.00 in Union City, TN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,666 in Union City, TN, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Union City, TN. 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 1% less than in Union City, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.