Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Saint Andrews Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Saint Andrews

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,365 in Saint Andrews.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,342 in Mexico City versus $3,397 in Saint Andrews.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,199 in Mexico City versus $4,429 in Saint Andrews.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 37% less than in Saint Andrews, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 10% above, Saint Andrews 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.29 MX$231

$16.87 CA$23.11

-21.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$933

$71.2 CA$97.6

-24.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 MX$161

$10.94 CA$14.98

-15.08%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$3.86 CA$5.28

-6.48%

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

$1.56 MX$27.03

$1.99 CA$2.73

-21.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.46

$1.64 CA$2.25

-31.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 MX$54.3

$5.64 CA$7.73

-44.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 MX$81.7

$6.01 CA$8.24

-21.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.54

$2.13 CA$2.92

-20.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 MX$48.03

$2.69 CA$3.69

2.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.05

$3.51 CA$4.81

-44.16%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.21

$3.37 CA$4.62

-22.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 MX$173

$11.11 CA$15.22

-10.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 MX$141

$11.64 CA$15.95

-30.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.50 MX$200

$14.99 CA$20.54

-23.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MX$49.84

$4.13 CA$5.66

-30.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.07

$1.35 CA$1.86

28.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.73

$3.77 CA$5.17

-46.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$3.82 CA$5.23

-46.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.14

$2.47 CA$3.38

-15.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 MX$38.12

$2.47 CA$3.39

-10.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.24

$2.54 CA$3.48

-42.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.74 CA$2.38

-38.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.2

$13.79 CA$18.90

-69.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 MX$249

$12.45 CA$17.05

15.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.62

$2.80 CA$3.84

-37.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 MX$64.2

$3.18 CA$4.35

16.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.12

$2.34 CA$3.21

-85.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$333

$63.1 CA$86.5

-69.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 MX$23.18

$3.11 CA$4.27

-56.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.83

$1.44 CA$1.97

-80.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MX$92.6

$25.45 CA$34.86

-79.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.11 CA$1.53

20.72%

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

$19.1K MX$332.0K

$24.7K CA$33.9K

-22.71%

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

$23.9K MX$414.5K

$21.0K CA$28.7K

13.97%

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

$39.86 MX$692

$144 CA$198

-72.38%

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

$26.78 MX$465

$43.53 CA$59.6

-38.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.36 MX$510

$63.7 CA$87.2

-53.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$927

$41.16 CA$56.4

29.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.09 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$111

$11.50 CA$15.76

-44.35%

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

$440 MX$7,647

$728 CA$997

-39.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K MX$186.6K

$11.8K CA$16.2K

-9.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 MX$1,000

$55.3 CA$75.8

4.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.02 MX$781

$39.74 CA$54.5

13.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,801

$84.9 CA$116

22.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,874

$107 CA$146

1.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 MX$17.6K

$1,334 CA$1,828

-24.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MX$10.9K

$1,198 CA$1,641

-47.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,162 MX$37.5K

$2,030 CA$2,781

6.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 MX$21.2K

$1,836 CA$2,515

-33.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,793 MX$65.8K

$5,008 CA$6,860

-24.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.5K

$3,778 CA$5,176

-38.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.46

75.54%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 11, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrews: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,013 in Mexico City and $1,334 in Saint Andrews. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54 in Mexico City vs $71 in Saint Andrews for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $364 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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 Saint Andrews: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Saint Andrews differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $2,365 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,226 in Mexico City and $3,547 in Saint Andrews to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,013 in Mexico City versus $1,334 in Saint Andrews. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 229% less than in Saint Andrews. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $440 in Mexico City versus $728 in Saint Andrews. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,365 in Saint Andrews, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Saint Andrews. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Saint Andrews. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.