Cost of Living Comparison Between Urbana, IL and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Urbana, IL and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,697 in Urbana, IL versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,688 in Urbana, IL versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,679 in Urbana, IL versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Urbana, IL 23% above, Mexico City 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.70 $19.70

$12.14 MX$206

62.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.0 $64.0

$53.9 MX$914

18.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 $9.82

$11.09 MX$188

-11.45%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$4.10 MX$69.5

36.34%

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

$2.16 $2.16

$1.68 MX$28.53

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.39 MX$23.55

12.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.28 $5.28

$3.33 MX$56.5

58.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 $5.84

$5.88 MX$99.7

-0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 $0.69

$1.85 MX$31.41

-62.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 $2.34

$3.17 MX$53.8

-26.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.07 MX$35.13

47.34%

Eggs

$2.95 $2.95

$2.93 MX$49.67

0.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$12.59 MX$214

-47.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 $9.00

$10.11 MX$172

-10.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.58 $14.58

$16.09 MX$273

-9.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$3.39 MX$57.5

13.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.08 MX$35.26

-38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.12 MX$35.97

26.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.41 MX$40.95

-6.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.13 MX$36.11

2.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.01 MX$34.02

45.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.55 MX$26.21

88.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.36 MX$23.15

1.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.19 $7.19

$5.77 MX$97.8

24.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.53 $8.53

$17.74 MX$301

-51.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.07 MX$35.11

-12.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 $1.33

$4.61 MX$78.3

-71.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.37 MX$6.21

172.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.05 MX$34.84

48.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 $0.64

$0.58 MX$9.79

10.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.19 $18.19

$6.07 MX$103

199.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.55 MX$26.34

-43.87%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$22.9K MX$388.1K

58.93%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$27.2K MX$462.0K

-2.91%

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

$203 $203

$67.4 MX$1,144

200.70%

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

$99.5 $99.5

$30.62 MX$520

225.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 $60.4

$37.24 MX$632

62.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$12.84 $12.84

$7.11 MX$121

80.59%

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

$456 MX$7,739

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 $75.6

$74.2 MX$1,259

1.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.31 $42.31

$57.0 MX$967

-25.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.9 $66.9

$115 MX$1,958

-42.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 $89.9

$122 MX$2,061

-25.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$751 $751

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-34.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$586 $586

$709 MX$12.0K

-17.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 $1,492

$2,577 MX$43.7K

-42.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,345 $1,345

$1,295 MX$22.0K

3.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,639 $1,639

$4,005 MX$67.9K

-59.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,662 $1,662

$2,130 MX$36.1K

-21.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,746 $6,746

$1,082 MX$18.4K

523.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

11.3

-44.25%

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

Last update for Urbana, IL: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $751 in Urbana, IL and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Urbana, IL pays 523% 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: $64.0 in Urbana, IL vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $345, with Urbana, IL 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

Urbana, IL vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Urbana, IL and Mexico City differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,697 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 523% higher in Urbana, IL, 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: $751 in Urbana, IL versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $64.0 in Urbana, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,697 per month in Urbana, IL versus $1,677 in Mexico City – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,697 in Urbana, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Urbana, IL. 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 Urbana, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.