Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Mexico Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Mexico

Name: Mexico
Address: MX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,643 in United States versus $1,121 in Mexico.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $1,791 in Mexico.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,070 in United States versus $2,461 in Mexico.

Living in United States is roughly 136% more expensive than Mexico on average.

United States (97% above) and Mexico (16% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,343 to $5,081, compared to $701–$2,382 in Mexico. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$10.51 MX$182

90.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$41.93 MX$725

81.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$7.84 MX$136

45.66%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$3.42 MX$59.2

57.60%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$1.32 MX$22.83

93.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.98 MX$16.98

108.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$2.36 MX$40.81

160.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$4.27 MX$73.8

68.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.51 MX$26.15

-31.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.66 MX$45.95

37.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$1.70 MX$29.46

178.24%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$2.35 MX$40.66

86.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$8.40 MX$145

51.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$7.55 MX$131

64.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$10.84 MX$187

51.38%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$2.72 MX$47.13

99.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.51 MX$26.08

9.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$1.92 MX$33.26

139.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$1.80 MX$31.14

172.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.03 MX$35.07

43.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.99 MX$34.49

57.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.31 MX$22.71

72.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.06 MX$18.26

116.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$4.26 MX$73.7

132.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$11.56 MX$200

30.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.58 MX$27.25

20.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$3.03 MX$52.3

20.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.61 MX$10.48

306.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$26.28 MX$455

146.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.69 MX$46.54

42.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.93 MX$33.37

-8.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$10.64 MX$184

187.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.32 MX$22.91

-27.27%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$20.1K MX$346.9K

51.98%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$23.4K MX$405.5K

12.51%

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

$204 $204

$62.4 MX$1,080

227.09%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$23.27 MX$403

146.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$28.56 MX$494

149.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$34.68 MX$600

34.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$18.65 MX$323

18.61%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$4.69 MX$81.1

195.10%

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

$1,384 $1,384

$249 MX$4,308

455.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$5,774 MX$99.9K

293.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$52.3 MX$904

1.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$40.31 MX$697

7.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$93.0 MX$1,609

-2.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$87.6 MX$1,515

30.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$639 MX$11.1K

176.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$448 MX$7,743

226.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$1,226 MX$21.2K

130.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$870 MX$15.0K

177.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$2,628 MX$45.5K

25.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,563 MX$27.0K

69.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$825 MX$14.3K

430.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.45

-43.14%

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

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,637 in United States, $530 in Mexico. Capital cities: $2,591 in Washington, DC vs $1,022 in Mexico City.

National salary averages: $4,500 in United States, $772 in Mexico. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 209% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 87% more in United States.

Public transport is 127% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 483% higher in United States, giving United States stronger purchasing power.

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

United States vs Mexico: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,542 per month in Mexico and $3,212 in United States, there's a 108% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Mexico is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in United States beats Mexico across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Mexico, $2,500 covers most cities easily. In United States, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Mexico wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.