Cost of Living Comparison Between Castries and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Castries and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,422 per month in Castries vs $1,646 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,362 per month in Castries vs $2,613 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,302 per month in Castries vs $3,580 in Mexico City, rent included.

Castries is about 14% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Castries and Mexico City sit above the global median – Castries by 3%, Mexico City by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.14 EC$24.67

$12.11 MX$204

-24.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 EC$201

$52.2 MX$881

42.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 EC$23.06

$10.90 MX$184

-21.65%

Cappuccino

$3.68 EC$9.93

$4.05 MX$68.4

-9.14%

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

$1.88 EC$5.08

$1.72 MX$28.95

9.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 EC$2.51

$1.38 MX$23.25

-32.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 EC$7.32

$3.47 MX$58.5

-21.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 EC$9.21

$5.81 MX$98.1

-41.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 EC$5.62

$1.85 MX$31.28

12.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 EC$5.12

$3.22 MX$54.4

-40.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 EC$4.48

$2.09 MX$35.20

-20.57%

Eggs

$4.73 EC$12.78

$2.91 MX$49.10

62.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 EC$29.81

$12.49 MX$211

-11.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.16 EC$24.73

$10.11 MX$171

-9.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 EC$39.44

$15.89 MX$268

-8.06%

Apples (1kg)

$8.65 EC$23.35

$3.31 MX$56.0

161.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 EC$4.55

$2.13 MX$35.90

-21.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.00 EC$21.59

$2.19 MX$36.97

265.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$14.84 EC$40.08

$2.45 MX$41.31

505.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 EC$9.12

$2.19 MX$36.95

54.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 EC$5.38

$1.90 MX$32.15

4.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 EC$5.91

$1.62 MX$27.26

35.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 EC$3.55

$1.35 MX$22.78

-2.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.03 EC$24.38

$5.43 MX$91.6

66.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 EC$29.80

$17.59 MX$297

-37.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 EC$5.91

$2.07 MX$34.90

5.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.61 EC$15.14

$4.75 MX$80.1

18.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 EC$2.93

$0.34 MX$5.74

220.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.23 EC$24.91

$2.04 MX$34.44

352.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 EC$4.21

$1.62 MX$27.27

-3.70%

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

$25.5K EC$69.0K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

11.96%

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

$37.1K EC$100.2K

$26.7K MX$450.0K

39.25%

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

$124 EC$334

$65.2 MX$1,101

89.45%

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

$87.1 EC$235

$29.87 MX$504

191.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.46 EC$131

$36.55 MX$617

32.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 EC$110

$61.0 MX$1,030

-33.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 EC$14.82

$6.85 MX$116

-19.85%

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

$214 EC$579

$453 MX$7,652

-52.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$225.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.0 EC$224

$75.0 MX$1,265

10.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 EC$140

$55.3 MX$933

-6.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 EC$303

$114 MX$1,917

-1.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 EC$298

$123 MX$2,070

-10.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 EC$1,219

$1,134 MX$19.1K

-60.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 EC$923

$712 MX$12.0K

-52.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 EC$3,307

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-52.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 EC$1,903

$1,311 MX$22.1K

-46.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$101 EC$273

$3,993 MX$67.4K

-97.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$63.8 EC$172

$2,095 MX$35.4K

-96.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,094 EC$2,955

$1,047 MX$17.7K

4.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.75

11.3

-31.42%

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

Last update for Castries: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $451 in Castries versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 5% higher in Castries, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Castries versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $431 vs $345 – making Mexico City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Castries vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 16% more than Castries, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,133 per month in Castries and $2,469 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Castries, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,422 in Castries and $1,646 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $214 per month in Castries and $453 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Castries, where all-in costs run around $1,422, than in Mexico City at $1,646. In Castries it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Castries costs $1,422 versus $1,646 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Castries. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.