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: $2,622 in United States versus $1,260 in Mexico.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,830 in United States versus $2,019 in Mexico.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,038 in United States versus $2,777 in Mexico.

Living in United States is roughly 108% more expensive than in Mexico on average.

United States (91% above) and Mexico (8% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $983 to $5,177, compared to $792–$2,879 in Mexico. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.78 $19.78

$11.94 MX$203

65.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 $81.4

$46.71 MX$793

74.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.11 $12.11

$10.16 MX$173

19.19%

Cappuccino

$5.44 $5.44

$3.88 MX$65.9

40.21%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$1.58 MX$26.90

68.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.11 MX$18.79

87.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.06 $6.06

$2.92 MX$49.56

107.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.14 $8.14

$4.82 MX$81.8

68.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.77 MX$30.11

-40.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.04 MX$51.7

20.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$1.93 MX$32.82

130.57%

Eggs

$4.35 $4.35

$2.69 MX$45.61

61.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$9.76 MX$166

30.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.46 $12.46

$8.70 MX$148

43.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.95 $16.95

$12.54 MX$213

35.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.12 MX$53.0

69.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.75 MX$29.78

-2.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$2.22 MX$37.73

98.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$2.14 MX$36.31

134.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.20 MX$37.29

30.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.09 MX$35.55

49.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.53 MX$26.00

51.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.23 MX$20.83

90.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.55 $10.55

$4.72 MX$80.2

123.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.94 $14.94

$11.54 MX$196

29.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.82 MX$30.99

16.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.45 MX$58.6

6.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 $2.37

$0.69 MX$11.78

243.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 $65.1

$29.26 MX$497

122.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.88 MX$48.83

18.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.87 MX$48.73

-34.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.16 $30.16

$11.76 MX$200

156.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.49 MX$25.26

-34.23%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$22.4K MX$381.1K

60.21%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.1K MX$442.9K

-0.56%

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

$218 $218

$74.6 MX$1,267

191.69%

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

$61.0 $61.0

$25.21 MX$428

142.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.8 $74.8

$31.40 MX$533

138.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.42 $44.42

$39.89 MX$678

11.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.53 $22.53

$19.08 MX$324

18.08%

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 $14.80

$5.62 MX$95.4

163.35%

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

$1,476 $1,476

$282 MX$4,787

423.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.9K $25.9K

$6,767 MX$114.9K

282.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 $54.4

$60.5 MX$1,027

-10.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.59 $43.59

$44.67 MX$759

-2.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 $92.9

$105 MX$1,782

-11.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$97.9 MX$1,663

16.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,639 $1,639

$766 MX$13.0K

113.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 $1,358

$494 MX$8,386

175.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,699 $2,699

$1,413 MX$24.0K

90.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,199 $2,199

$954 MX$16.2K

130.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,269 $3,269

$2,695 MX$45.8K

21.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,589 $2,589

$1,570 MX$26.7K

64.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,357 $4,357

$835 MX$14.2K

421.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

11.43

-45.67%

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

Last update for United States: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,606 in United States, $672 in Mexico. Capital cities: $1,373 in Columbia, TN vs $1,134 in Mexico City.

National salary averages: $4,519 in United States, $784 in Mexico. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 139% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 60% more in United States.

Public transport is 108% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 476% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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 $1,836 per month in Mexico and $3,080 in United States, there's a 68% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Mexico: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 stretches only to regional areas and 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.