✦ Compare
Detroit vs
Mexico City
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
To keep the same standard of living in Mexico City, MX, you'd need
$50,354 / year
Mexico City, MX is 33% cheaper overall
Category breakdown (Mexico City, MX vs Detroit, MI)
- Housing-32%
- Food & groceries-32%
- Transport-52%
- Utilities-22%
- Healthcare-35%
- Goods & services-29%
Median 1-bed rent
$1,150 /mo
Detroit, MI overview →
Median 1-bed rent
$800 /mo
Mexico City, MX overview →
▤ Full comparison
| Detroit, MI | Mexico City, MX | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 96 | 64 |
| Housing | 88 | 60 |
| Food | 96 | 65 |
| Transport | 104 | 50 |
| Utilities | 102 | 80 |
| Healthcare | 100 | 65 |
| Goods & services | 98 | 70 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $1,150/mo | $800/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $900/mo | $550/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $2,000/mo | $1,600/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $2,200 | $3,200 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $1,043 | $1,553 |
| Inexpensive meal | $16 | $5 |
| Monthly transit pass | $70 | $20 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 37% | 35% |
| VAT / sales tax | 0% | 16% |
| Social security (employee) | 7.7% | — |
| Corporate tax | 21% | 30% |
| Capital gains | 20% | — |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $4,300/mo | $700/mo |
| Minimum wage | $1,257/mo | $420/mo |
| GDP per capita | $82,000 | $12,000 |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | Yes |
| English proficiency | Native | Low |
| Coworking spaces | 25 | 70 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 | UTC-6 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 40 | 40 |
| Healthcare index | 76 | 68 |
| Pollution index | 50 | 75 |
| Internet speed | 180 Mbps | 80 Mbps |
| Walkability | 55 | 68 |
| Public transport | 42 | 70 |
| Family-friendly | 58 | 60 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Use caution |
| Health insurance | $450/mo | $80/mo |
| Life expectancy | 79 yr | 75 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | Moderate |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | -4 °C | +14 °C |
| July avg | +23 °C | +17 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 180 | 240 |
| Rainfall / year | 850 mm | 850 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 1.5 h | 1 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: United States vs Mexico. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
? Frequently asked questions
Is Detroit cheaper than Mexico City?
Mexico City is about 33% cheaper than Detroit overall — its cost-of-living index is 64 versus 96 for Detroit.
How much do you need to earn in Mexico City to live like in Detroit?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Detroit is worth about $50,354 in Mexico City. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Detroit or Mexico City?
Mexico has the lower top income-tax rate — 35% versus 37% in United States.
◷ More comparisons from Detroit
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.