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Houston vs Mexico City cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐บ๐ธ Houston
๐ฒ๐ฝ Mexico City
At a glance
- Where Mexico City is clearly cheaper: Transit (78%โ), Entry ticket (73%โ), Haircut (61%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Houston is easier to travel (1.6 vs 2.8). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Houston 1 vs Mexico City 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Houston | Mexico City | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | $ 14$14 | MX$ 160$8.6 | Mexico City โ39% |
| Street food1 item | $ 9$9 | MX$ 75$4.03 | Mexico City โ55% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | $ 36$36 | MX$ 450$24.2 | Mexico City โ33% |
| Coffeeone cup | $ 5.2$5.2 | MX$ 70$3.76 | Mexico City โ28% |
| Beerone bottle | $ 6.2$6.2 | MX$ 60$3.23 | Mexico City โ48% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | $ 13$13 | MX$ 200$10.8 | Mexico City โ17% |
| Bottled water | $ 2$2 | MX$ 15$0.81 | Mexico City โ60% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | $ 2.7$2.7 | MX$ 25$1.34 | Mexico City โ50% |
| Taxi5 km in town | $ 11$11 | MX$ 100$5.38 | Mexico City โ51% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | $ 9$9 | MX$ 65$3.49 | Mexico City โ61% |
| Transitone ride | $ 1.25$1.25 | MX$ 5$0.27 | Mexico City โ78% |
| Scooter rentalper day | $ 35$35 | MX$ 272$14.6 | Mexico City โ58% |
| Hotel night3-star | $ 150$150 | MX$ 1,900$102 | Mexico City โ32% |
| Studio rent (month) | $ 1,200$1,200 | MX$ 19,000$1,022 | Mexico City โ15% |
| Laundry | $ 3.3$3.3 | MX$ 30$1.61 | Mexico City โ51% |
| SIM card1 week data | $ 22$22 | MX$ 200$10.8 | Mexico City โ51% |
| Haircutcut | $ 25$25 | MX$ 180$9.68 | Mexico City โ61% |
| Massage1 hour | $ 80$80 | MX$ 700$37.6 | Mexico City โ53% |
| Half-day tourper person | $ 70$70 | MX$ 600$32.3 | Mexico City โ54% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | $ 24$24 | MX$ 120$6.45 | Mexico City โ73% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Houston or Mexico City?
Mexico City is 30% cheaper than Houston. Daily budget $272 vs $177; a month $4,578 vs $3,443.
Which is easier to travel, Houston or Mexico City?
Houston is easier: Houston 1.6/5 vs Mexico City 2.8/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Houston and Mexico City?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Houston is about $4,578 and Mexico City about $3,443 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.