Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Saint Cloud, MN Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Saint Cloud, MN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,895 in Saint Cloud, MN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $2,734 in Saint Cloud, MN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $3,572 in Saint Cloud, MN.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 13% less than in Saint Cloud, MN, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 20% above, Saint Cloud, MN 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$204

$14.85 $14.85

-18.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$881

$39.32 $39.32

32.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$8.41 $8.41

29.61%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.4

$4.60 $4.60

-11.96%

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

$1.72 MX$28.95

$2.78 $2.78

-38.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.25

$2.25 $2.25

-38.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.5

$6.05 $6.05

-42.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.1

$5.10 $5.10

13.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.28

$0.86 $0.86

115.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.4

$1.50 $1.50

114.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.20

$1.98 $1.98

5.56%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.10

$3.72 $3.72

-21.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$9.84 $9.84

26.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$6.70 $6.70

50.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$268

$18.90 $18.90

-15.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$3.79 $3.79

-12.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.90

$1.05 $1.05

102.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.97

$2.83 $2.83

-22.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.31

$3.46 $3.46

-29.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.95

$2.07 $2.07

5.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.15

$2.87 $2.87

-33.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.26

$1.99 $1.99

-18.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.78

$3.08 $3.08

-56.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.6

$10.91 $10.91

-50.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$14.94 $14.94

17.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.90

$1.77 $1.77

16.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.1

$3.03 $3.03

56.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$1.79 $1.79

-81.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

$59.8 $59.8

-63.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.44

$3.53 $3.53

-42.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.75

$0.84 $0.84

-30.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$12.22 $12.22

-51.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.27

$0.82 $0.82

97.56%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

$29.9K $29.9K

-23.64%

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

$26.7K MX$450.0K

$23.9K $23.9K

11.65%

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

$65.2 MX$1,101

$119 $119

-45.33%

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

$29.87 MX$504

$46.92 $46.92

-36.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$617

$43.22 $43.22

-15.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,030

$25.22 $25.22

141.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$28.56 $28.56

-6.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$12.12 $12.12

-43.48%

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

$453 MX$7,652

$1,728 $1,728

-73.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$225.7K

$5,836 $5,836

129.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,265

$57.4 $57.4

30.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$933

$50.2 $50.2

10.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,917

$72.6 $72.6

56.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,070

$80.7 $80.7

52.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.1K

$946 $946

19.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$854 $854

-16.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$1,406 $1,406

82.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.1K

$1,250 $1,250

4.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.4K

$2,004 $2,004

99.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$1,766 $1,766

18.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$3,990 $3,990

-73.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.12

84.64%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Saint Cloud, MN: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $946 in Saint Cloud, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Cloud, MN pays 281% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $39.00 in Saint Cloud, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $322 per month, with Saint Cloud, MN 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 Cloud, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Saint Cloud, MN differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $1,895 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 281% lower in Saint Cloud, MN. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $946 in Saint Cloud, MN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 177% less than in Saint Cloud, MN. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $1,728 in Saint Cloud, MN. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,895 in Saint Cloud, MN, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Saint Cloud, MN. 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 15% less than in Saint Cloud, MN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.