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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Mexico City costs about 16% more than Castries, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$204

$9.14 EC$24.67

32.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$881

$74.5 EC$201

-29.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$8.54 EC$23.06

27.63%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.4

$3.68 EC$9.93

10.05%

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

$1.72 MX$28.95

$1.88 EC$5.08

-8.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.25

$0.93 EC$2.51

48.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.5

$2.71 EC$7.32

28.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.1

$3.41 EC$9.21

70.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.28

$2.08 EC$5.62

-11.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.4

$1.90 EC$5.12

69.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.20

$1.66 EC$4.48

25.90%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.10

$4.73 EC$12.78

-38.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$11.04 EC$29.81

13.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$9.16 EC$24.73

10.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$268

$14.61 EC$39.44

8.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$8.65 EC$23.35

-61.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.90

$1.68 EC$4.55

26.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.97

$8.00 EC$21.59

-72.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.31

$14.84 EC$40.08

-83.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.95

$3.38 EC$9.12

-35.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.15

$1.99 EC$5.38

-4.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.26

$2.19 EC$5.91

-26.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.78

$1.31 EC$3.55

3.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.6

$9.03 EC$24.38

-39.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$11.04 EC$29.80

59.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.90

$2.19 EC$5.91

-5.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.1

$5.61 EC$15.14

-15.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$1.09 EC$2.93

-68.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.44

$9.23 EC$24.91

-77.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.27

$1.56 EC$4.21

3.85%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

$25.5K EC$69.0K

-10.68%

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

$26.7K MX$450.0K

$37.1K EC$100.2K

-28.19%

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

$65.2 MX$1,101

$124 EC$334

-47.22%

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

$29.87 MX$504

$87.1 EC$235

-65.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$617

$48.46 EC$131

-24.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,030

$40.82 EC$110

49.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$5.49 EC$14.82

24.77%

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

$453 MX$7,652

$214 EC$579

111.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$225.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,265

$83.0 EC$224

-9.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$933

$51.7 EC$140

6.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,917

$112 EC$303

1.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,070

$110 EC$298

11.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.1K

$451 EC$1,219

151.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$342 EC$923

108.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$1,225 EC$3,307

109.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.1K

$705 EC$1,903

86.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.4K

$101 EC$273

3846.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$63.8 EC$172

3184.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$1,094 EC$2,955

-4.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

7.75

45.81%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Castries: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,134 in Mexico City versus $451 in Castries. 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $75.0 in Castries. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $431 – 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

Mexico City vs Castries: 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 $2,469 per month in Mexico City and $2,133 in Castries. 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 $1,646 in Mexico City and $1,422 in Castries. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $453 per month in Mexico City and $214 in Castries. 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.