Cost of Living Comparison Between Vacaville, CA and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Vacaville, CA and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,668 in Vacaville, CA versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,816 in Vacaville, CA versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,965 in Vacaville, CA versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Vacaville, CA is roughly 152% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vacaville, CA 175% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.09 $15.09

$13.07 MX$229

15.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.39 $44.39

$53.8 MX$943

-17.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.76 $12.76

$9.68 MX$170

31.82%

Cappuccino

$5.74 $5.74

$3.74 MX$65.6

53.48%

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

$3.25 $3.25

$1.62 MX$28.34

100.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.16 MX$20.37

120.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.95 $6.95

$3.23 MX$56.6

115.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 $6.80

$4.74 MX$83.1

43.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.65 MX$28.89

-7.88%

White Bread (500g)

$5.21 $5.21

$2.75 MX$48.30

89.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.62 $6.62

$1.87 MX$32.87

254.01%

Eggs

$6.14 $6.14

$2.50 MX$43.86

145.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.65 $23.65

$10.20 MX$179

131.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.74 $14.74

$8.25 MX$145

78.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.94 $23.94

$11.82 MX$207

102.54%

Apples (1kg)

$7.08 $7.08

$3.01 MX$52.8

135.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.81 MX$31.77

60.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$2.00 MX$35.07

165.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.62 $7.62

$2.00 MX$35.00

281.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.08 MX$36.56

78.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.27 MX$39.85

74.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.46 MX$25.55

100.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.08 MX$18.88

164.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.05 $14.05

$4.35 MX$76.3

222.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.09 $15.09

$16.99 MX$298

-11.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.73 MX$30.40

51.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.58 MX$62.7

-10.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.39 MX$6.79

407.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 $4.25

$1.33 MX$23.25

219.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.28 MX$4.91

567.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.77 $38.77

$5.25 MX$92.1

638.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.34 MX$23.44

-11.94%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

83.38%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

10.74%

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

$224 $224

$40.69 MX$714

449.89%

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

$64.6 $64.6

$26.87 MX$471

140.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 $68.5

$30.51 MX$535

124.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 $71.4

$52.8 MX$926

35.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$6.51 MX$114

162.98%

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

$1,278 $1,278

$428 MX$7,508

198.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.4K $37.4K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

256.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 $68.3

$57.3 MX$1,004

19.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.34 $46.34

$45.50 MX$798

1.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$104 MX$1,825

-0.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 $151

$108 MX$1,891

40.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,365 $2,365

$1,003 MX$17.6K

135.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,241 $2,241

$623 MX$10.9K

259.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,157 $3,157

$2,109 MX$37.0K

49.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,865 $2,865

$1,218 MX$21.4K

135.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,708 $3,708

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-4.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,269 $5,269

$1,038 MX$18.2K

407.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

11.34

-43.92%

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

Last update for Vacaville, CA: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,365 in Vacaville, CA and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vacaville, CA pays 408% 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: $44.00 in Vacaville, CA vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $562 vs $292, 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

Vacaville, CA vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vacaville, CA and Mexico City differ by about 152% in total monthly costs ($3,668 vs $1,456 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 408% higher in Vacaville, CA, 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: $2,365 in Vacaville, CA versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,278 in Vacaville, CA versus $428 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 $54.0 versus $44.00 in Vacaville, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $3,668 in Vacaville, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Vacaville, CA. 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.

Safety-wise, Vacaville, CA and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 152% less than in Vacaville, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.