Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Saanich

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,674 a month against $2,631 in Saanich, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Saanich, Canada
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,674
/mo nomad
Saanich
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,631
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Saanich

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Saanich actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,674 in Mexico City versus $2,631 in Saanich.

  • Mexico City $1,674
  • Saanich $2,631

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,606 in Mexico City versus $3,721 in Saanich.

  • Mexico City $2,606
  • Saanich $3,721

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,537 in Mexico City versus $4,811 in Saanich.

  • Mexico City $3,537
  • Saanich $4,811

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 36% less than in Saanich, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 24% above, Saanich 95% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Saanich
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.59 MX$199
$18.08 CA$25.34
-41.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.0 MX$976
$71.0 CA$99.5
-26.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.73 MX$201
$11.35 CA$15.91
-5.46%
Cappuccino
$3.80 MX$71.3
$4.48 CA$6.29
-15.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 MX$30.28
$2.28 CA$3.20
-29.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$22.76
$1.76 CA$2.47
-31.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 MX$59.7
$5.75 CA$8.05
-44.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.44 MX$102
$6.73 CA$9.43
-19.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Saanich
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.26
$2.03 CA$2.84
-15.27%
White Bread (500g)
$2.97 MX$55.7
$3.09 CA$4.33
-3.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.93 MX$36.17
$3.03 CA$4.25
-36.30%
Eggs
$2.77 MX$52.1
$4.22 CA$5.92
-34.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.67 MX$219
$17.27 CA$24.21
-32.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.48 MX$178
$12.13 CA$17.01
-21.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.37 MX$289
$17.04 CA$23.89
-9.80%
Apples (1kg)
$3.10 MX$58.3
$4.37 CA$6.12
-29.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.96 MX$36.82
$1.45 CA$2.04
35.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 MX$37.22
$4.31 CA$6.04
-54.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.34 MX$43.86
$5.84 CA$8.19
-59.93%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$38.00
$3.61 CA$5.06
-44.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 MX$34.26
$2.87 CA$4.02
-36.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.54 MX$29.00
$3.16 CA$4.43
-51.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 MX$24.64
$2.25 CA$3.15
-41.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.35 MX$100
$14.04 CA$19.68
-61.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.19 MX$304
$15.60 CA$21.87
3.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 MX$36.79
$2.53 CA$3.55
-22.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 MX$81.7
$3.42 CA$4.79
27.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Saanich
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.30 MX$5.72
$2.26 CA$3.16
-86.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.49 MX$366
$79.7 CA$112
-75.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.92 MX$36.01
$2.79 CA$3.91
-31.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 MX$8.88
$1.64 CA$2.30
-71.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 MX$102
$35.20 CA$49.34
-84.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 MX$27.86
$1.35 CA$1.89
9.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K MX$401.4K
$28.5K CA$40.0K
-25.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K MX$446.1K
$21.4K CA$30.0K
11.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Saanich
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.0 MX$1,164
$120 CA$168
-48.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.47 MX$535
$40.69 CA$57.0
-30.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.11 MX$641
$66.6 CA$93.4
-48.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Saanich
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.4 MX$1,097
$108 CA$152
-46.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.50 MX$460
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.59 MX$124
$11.25 CA$15.76
-41.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Saanich
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$434 MX$8,155
$710 CA$995
-38.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.0K MX$263.6K
$15.2K CA$21.3K
-7.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Saanich
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.4 MX$1,284
$48.55 CA$68.1
40.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.8 MX$1,029
$33.72 CA$47.27
62.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 MX$2,082
$92.2 CA$129
20.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 MX$2,178
$108 CA$151
7.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Saanich
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,179 MX$22.1K
$1,484 CA$2,080
-20.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$771 MX$14.5K
$1,327 CA$1,860
-41.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,570 MX$48.3K
$2,078 CA$2,913
23.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,420 MX$26.7K
$1,875 CA$2,628
-24.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,586 MX$67.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,064 MX$38.8K
$3,823 CA$5,359
-46.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Saanich
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,003 MX$18.8K
$2,995 CA$4,198
-66.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
4.72
140.47%

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

Last update for Mexico City: November 1, 2026

Last update for Saanich: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$771
Saanich
$1.3K 72.2% $556
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$324
Saanich
$428 32.2% $104
Eating Out
Mexico City
$201
Saanich
$291 45% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$158
Saanich
$127 19.4% $31
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$125
Saanich
$227 82.6% $103
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Saanich
$131 82.6% $59
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Saanich
$100 299% $75

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,179 in Mexico City and $1,484 in Saanich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saanich pays about 3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $52 in Mexico City vs $71 in Saanich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $428 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇨🇦 Saanich
🕒 Local time
01:03 1:03 AM
00:03 12:03 AM
1 h behind Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
117,735
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.78 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 21.08 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.635 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Saanich 3,890 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Saanich

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Saanich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Saanich?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,674 in Mexico City and $2,631 in Saanich, so Mexico City is about 36% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 67% lower in Mexico City. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and in Saanich?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,179 in Mexico City versus $1,484 in Saanich. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and in Saanich?
A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 76% less than in Saanich. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Saanich?
Childcare runs $434 in Mexico City versus $710 in Saanich. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How far does $3,000 go in Mexico City compared to Saanich?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Mexico City gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Saanich?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Saanich?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Saanich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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