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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,914 in Walnut, CA versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,353 in Walnut, CA versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,792 in Walnut, CA versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Walnut, CA is roughly 77% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Walnut, CA 112% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.53 $24.53

$12.11 MX$204

102.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.0 $99.0

$52.2 MX$881

89.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.10 $15.10

$10.90 MX$184

38.53%

Cappuccino

$6.16 $6.16

$4.05 MX$68.4

52.10%

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

$3.68 $3.68

$1.72 MX$28.95

113.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.38 MX$23.25

120.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$3.47 MX$58.5

128.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.11 $12.11

$5.81 MX$98.1

108.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.85 MX$31.28

-18.92%

White Bread (500g)

$4.76 $4.76

$3.22 MX$54.4

47.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$2.09 MX$35.20

239.23%

Eggs

$5.20 $5.20

$2.91 MX$49.10

78.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.12 $19.12

$12.49 MX$211

53.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.83 $14.83

$10.11 MX$171

46.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.73 $21.73

$15.89 MX$268

36.75%

Apples (1kg)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.31 MX$56.0

143.20%

Banana (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.13 MX$35.90

53.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.25 $6.25

$2.19 MX$36.97

185.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.79 $9.79

$2.45 MX$41.31

299.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.19 MX$36.95

26.48%

Onion (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$1.90 MX$32.15

154.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.62 MX$27.26

109.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.35 MX$22.78

106.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.87 $11.87

$5.43 MX$91.6

118.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.10 $16.10

$17.59 MX$297

-8.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.07 MX$34.90

9.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 $4.59

$4.75 MX$80.1

-3.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.34 MX$5.74

473.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 $60.0

$21.58 MX$364

177.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.04 MX$34.44

40.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.54 $2.54

$0.58 MX$9.75

337.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.8 $59.8

$5.97 MX$101

901.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.62 MX$27.27

-14.20%

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

$37.6K $37.6K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

64.64%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$26.7K MX$450.0K

-5.09%

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

$250 $250

$65.2 MX$1,101

282.80%

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

$73.9 $73.9

$29.87 MX$504

147.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$36.55 MX$617

90.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.38 $41.38

$61.0 MX$1,030

-32.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$13.79 $13.79

$6.85 MX$116

101.31%

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

$1,439 $1,439

$453 MX$7,652

217.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.3K $37.3K

$13.4K MX$225.7K

178.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.8 $87.8

$75.0 MX$1,265

17.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.26 $46.26

$55.3 MX$933

-16.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 $80.6

$114 MX$1,917

-29.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$123 MX$2,070

7.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,639 $1,639

$1,134 MX$19.1K

44.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,424 $1,424

$712 MX$12.0K

99.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,143 $2,143

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-16.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,120 $2,120

$1,311 MX$22.1K

61.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,372 $2,372

$3,993 MX$67.4K

-40.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,068 $2,068

$2,095 MX$35.4K

-1.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

11.3

-44.78%

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

Last update for Walnut, CA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,639 in Walnut, CA and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99.0 in Walnut, CA vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $560 vs $345 per month, with Mexico City 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

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

Walnut, CA and Mexico City differ by about 77% in total monthly costs ($2,914 vs $1,646 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,371 in Walnut, CA and $2,469 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,639 in Walnut, CA versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 178% less than in Walnut, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,439 in Walnut, CA versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $2,914 in Walnut, CA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Walnut, 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, Walnut, 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 77% less than in Walnut, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.