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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,603 in Waukegan, IL versus $1,481 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,738 in Waukegan, IL versus $2,352 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,873 in Waukegan, IL versus $3,222 in Mexico City.

Living in Waukegan, IL is roughly 76% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Waukegan, IL 95% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.07 $19.07

$13.16 MX$229

44.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 $76.2

$53.6 MX$932

42.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.99 $10.99

$9.55 MX$166

15.08%

Cappuccino

$5.05 $5.05

$3.72 MX$64.8

35.75%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$1.57 MX$27.28

66.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.16 MX$20.12

68.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$3.18 MX$55.4

85.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.01 $7.01

$4.63 MX$80.6

51.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.71 MX$29.67

-40.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.62 MX$45.54

32.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$1.89 MX$32.87

122.75%

Eggs

$4.13 $4.13

$2.60 MX$45.17

58.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 $12.46

$9.91 MX$172

25.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.29 $11.29

$8.22 MX$143

37.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.14 $15.14

$11.78 MX$205

28.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$3.00 MX$52.1

59.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.80 MX$31.32

-13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.07 MX$36.08

104.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$1.97 MX$34.23

135.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.07 MX$36.05

34.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.17 MX$37.84

28.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.40 MX$24.41

45.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.07 MX$18.70

104.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.32 $9.32

$4.12 MX$71.7

126.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.15 $14.15

$17.42 MX$303

-18.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.68 MX$29.16

8.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$3.65 MX$63.5

-8.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.38 MX$6.62

431.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$326

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.33 MX$23.13

157.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.30 MX$5.27

453.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.12 $29.12

$5.51 MX$95.9

428.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.31 MX$22.72

-30.53%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$19.2K MX$333.5K

57.03%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$23.7K MX$413.3K

9.83%

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

$187 $187

$41.14 MX$716

353.35%

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

$52.6 $52.6

$27.74 MX$483

89.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 $67.6

$30.13 MX$524

124.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.40 $42.40

$53.7 MX$935

-21.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$452

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 $13.47

$6.49 MX$113

107.55%

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

$1,302 $1,302

$437 MX$7,598

198.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$10.5K MX$182.0K

124.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 $51.6

$58.3 MX$1,015

-11.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.97 $39.97

$45.86 MX$798

-12.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 $87.8

$101 MX$1,765

-13.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$107 MX$1,854

5.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,631 $1,631

$1,005 MX$17.5K

62.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 $1,353

$634 MX$11.0K

113.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,604 $2,604

$2,148 MX$37.4K

21.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,242 $2,242

$1,247 MX$21.7K

79.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 $2,788

$3,859 MX$67.2K

-27.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,439 $2,439

$2,085 MX$36.3K

17.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.34

-42.59%

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

Last update for Waukegan, IL: July 21, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,631 in Waukegan, IL and $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in Waukegan, IL vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $291 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

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

Waukegan, IL and Mexico City differ by about 76% in total monthly costs ($2,603 vs $1,481 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,904 in Waukegan, IL and $2,222 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: $1,631 in Waukegan, IL versus $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,302 in Waukegan, IL versus $437 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 $76.0 in Waukegan, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,481 in Mexico City versus $2,603 in Waukegan, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Waukegan, 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 76% less than in Waukegan, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.