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 $1,409 per month in Castries vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,208 per month in Castries vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,007 per month in Castries vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Castries is about 3% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Castries and Mexico City sit above the global median – Castries by 5%, Mexico City by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.34 EC$19.83

$13.07 MX$228

-43.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 EC$203

$53.8 MX$936

39.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.30 EC$19.70

$9.68 MX$169

-24.59%

Cappuccino

$3.80 EC$10.27

$3.74 MX$65.1

1.60%

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

$1.12 EC$3.03

$1.62 MX$28.13

-30.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 EC$2.69

$1.16 MX$20.23

-13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 EC$7.09

$3.23 MX$56.2

-18.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 EC$8.87

$4.74 MX$82.5

-30.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 EC$5.89

$1.65 MX$28.68

32.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 EC$4.61

$2.75 MX$47.95

-37.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 EC$4.47

$1.87 MX$32.63

-11.23%

Eggs

$4.31 EC$11.64

$2.50 MX$43.54

72.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 EC$30.50

$10.20 MX$178

10.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.96 EC$26.90

$8.25 MX$144

20.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 EC$26.84

$11.82 MX$206

-15.91%

Apples (1kg)

$7.52 EC$20.30

$3.01 MX$52.4

149.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 EC$4.52

$1.81 MX$31.54

-7.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.12 EC$16.53

$2.00 MX$34.81

206.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.25 EC$24.97

$2.00 MX$34.74

362.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.32 EC$8.95

$2.08 MX$36.30

59.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 EC$4.70

$2.27 MX$39.56

-23.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 EC$5.64

$1.46 MX$25.36

43.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 EC$2.90

$1.08 MX$18.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.00 EC$24.31

$4.35 MX$75.7

106.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.97 EC$29.61

$16.99 MX$296

-35.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 EC$5.71

$1.73 MX$30.18

22.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 EC$11.57

$3.58 MX$62.3

19.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 EC$2.96

$0.39 MX$6.74

182.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.52 EC$25.72

$1.33 MX$23.08

615.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.42 EC$49.74

$5.25 MX$91.5

250.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 EC$4.13

$1.34 MX$23.27

14.18%

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

$29.1K EC$78.5K

$19.4K MX$338.0K

49.78%

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

$27.6K EC$74.5K

$23.8K MX$415.0K

15.72%

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

$107 EC$289

$40.69 MX$709

163.31%

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

$89.6 EC$242

$26.87 MX$468

233.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.87 EC$118

$30.51 MX$531

43.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.35 EC$114

$52.8 MX$919

-19.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 EC$18.21

$6.51 MX$113

3.53%

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

$197 EC$533

$428 MX$7,454

-53.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 EC$215

$57.3 MX$997

39.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 EC$142

$45.50 MX$792

15.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 EC$283

$104 MX$1,812

0.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 EC$294

$108 MX$1,878

1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 EC$1,582

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-41.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 EC$1,067

$623 MX$10.8K

-36.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 EC$2,714

$2,109 MX$36.7K

-52.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 EC$1,868

$1,218 MX$21.2K

-43.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$100 EC$271

$3,885 MX$67.6K

-97.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$63.7 EC$172

$2,033 MX$35.4K

-96.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,092 EC$2,949

$1,038 MX$18.1K

5.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.75

11.34

-31.66%

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

Last update for Castries: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $586 in Castries versus $1,003 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $292 – 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 3% 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 $2,113 per month in Castries and $2,185 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 $1,409 in Castries and $1,456 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Castries and $428 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 $1,409, than in Mexico City at $1,456. 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 $1,409 versus $1,456 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.