True Burn

Mexico City, Mexico

Can I live in Mexico City on $2,500/month?

Mexico City has become one of the most popular destinations for American and Canadian expats and digital nomads in recent years. This massive city offers incredible food, fascinating history, and loads of culture. It has really become a world-class city.

The cost of living in Mexico City is reasonable, compared to many large North American cities but it has increased substantially over the past 5 years or so. It’s not cheap like it used to be. 8 years ago, you could have lived here for $1,500 per month. Now, a decent lifestyle costs $2,500-$3,000 per month. The first time I visited, I rented a room in an Airbnb for $100 for a month. Now, decent apartments start at $800 per month.

If you want to live in one of the most popular neighborhoods like La Condesa or Roma Norte, it will basically cost the same as living in a large American city at this point. In the most popular neighborhoods, a decent apartment goes for around $1,200-$1,600.

One nice thing is that it’s easy to travel home if you’re from North America. You won’t have to pay for expensive transcontinental flights to visit family. Mexico City is well connected. Getting around the city is also cheap thanks to the metro system. A ticket only costs 5 pesos ($0.30).

Starting numbers checked . Every line below is editable. The estimates include often-forgotten costs like flights home and visas, plus what you lose moving money into MXN. The calculator will show you your true monthly burn rate as well as your adjusted exchange rate.

Start from

01

Money in

If income varies, enter a typical month in the currency you think in.

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02

True FX

How you turn this money into something you can spend.

How you receive money

These are typical estimates. Open Adjust fees if yours are different.

Loading live rate…

After fees

1 USD = 16.88 MXN

Mid-market is 17.00. You lose about 7.00 USD per $1,000 moved.

Adjust feesThese are typical estimates, not official numbers from the company›

Change these if your app or bank is different from the typical numbers.

03

Monthly costs

Start with these. Turn off anything that isn’t you.

Forgotten expenses

$488/mo

Expenses people often forget

›

Flights home, visas, a house helper. Turn off anything that isn’t you.

True monthly burn

$2,490

42,338 MXN

Keep $10

Mexico City cost of living breakdown

The figures the calculator starts with plus some notes. Everything here is an estimate you should change for your situation.

Monthly cost of living estimates for Mexico City, Mexico, in USD
ExpenseStarting estimatePer month
Everyday costs$1,760/mo
Rent$950/mo$950

Rent in Mexico City has increased a lot in recent years. These days, it's difficult to find a decent apartment in a safe neighborhood for less than $800 per month. On average, expect to spend closer to $1,000 for something decent.

Utilities$80/mo$80
Food$400/mo$400

Mexico City has some of the world's best street food. You can enjoy a couple of tacos and a drink or a gordita for $5-$8. Groceries are slightly cheaper than in the U.S. Mexico City has some incredible supermarkets.

Transport$40/mo$40

Mexico City's metro is extremely affordable. A single ride only costs 5 pesos (around $0.30). It doesn't matter how far you travel. The Metrobús costs 6 pesos (around $0.35) for a one-way trip. You can take a short Uber ride for $6-$10.

Phone & internet$40/mo$40

My phone bill cost around 150 MXN per month. I paid around 500 pesos per month for internet.

Health (local)$100/mo$100

Medical insurance for foreigners costs around $100-$300 per month depending on your age, your health, and the coverage you choose.

Entertainment$150/mo$150

There are lots of free things to do in Mexico City. There are loads of beautiful green spaces to explore, like the Bosque de Chapultepec.

Easy to forget$488/mo
Flights homeHolidays, family visits$800/yr$67

Mexico City is well connected with the U.S. I used to fly home for around $500-$600. Sometimes I flew home twice per year.

In-country tripsWeekends, nearby cities$600/yr$50

Mexico City is centrally located in Mexico. It's also the main hub in the country. You can easily catch a budget flight to other cities in Mexico like Cancun, Oaxaca, Guadalajara, and more. You could buy round-trip tickets for $100-$150 if you shop around. There are also buses if you're on a budget.

Visa / border runsPermits, overstays$500/yr$42

You can stay in Mexico for up to 6 months on a tourist permit (FMM). Currently, this document costs 983 pesos or around $56. It's also possible to apply for temporary residency if you want to stay longer. This costs about $350-$450 depending on where you apply. You must apply in a consulate outside of Mexico.

Travel insurance$50/mo$50
Phone, laptop, clothes$600/yr$50

Electronics are expensive in Mexico due to high taxes. I buy all of my electronics when I'm visiting home.

Laundry / cleaning help$30/mo$30
Medical bufferClinics, meds insurance skips$50/mo$50

You can visit a local clinic at a pharmacy for around 100 pesos (about $6). To see a general practitioner or a specialist, expect to spend 1,000-2,000 pesos (around $60-$120).

Emergency fund$100/mo$100
SubscriptionsStreaming, iCloud, software$25/mo$25
Home SIM for 2FA$25/mo$25
Bad-week buffer, 10% on top$225
Cost of moving money in via Wise$17
True monthly burn in Mexico City$2,490

That is about 42,338 MXN a month at roughly 17 MXN to 1 USD; the calculator above uses the live rate. On $2,500 a month you would keep $10, and $10,000 of savings would last 4.0 months with no income. 5 more expenses are switched off by default. Turn on the ones that apply to you.

Run the numbers somewhere else

Same calculator, different starting figures. Mexico City lands at $2,490 a month on the defaults above.

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