Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Saint John Island

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $6,147 in Saint John Island, rent and utilities included – about $55,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
296

Cost of Living Index in Saint John Island
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Saint John Island Living Index

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Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,548

/mo nomad

Saint John Island

🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands

$6,147

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Saint John Island

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 Saint John Island actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,548 in Mexico City versus $6,147 in Saint John Island.

Mexico City $1,548
Saint John Island $6,147

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,436 in Mexico City versus $8,398 in Saint John Island.

Mexico City $2,436
Saint John Island $8,398

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,323 in Mexico City versus $10.6K in Saint John Island.

Mexico City $3,323
Saint John Island $10.6K

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 75% less than in Saint John Island, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 14% above, Saint John Island 354% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 MX$204

$70.5 $70.5

-84.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.68 MX$900

$147 $147

-66.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$201

$14.70 $14.70

-25.85%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.1

$9.12 $9.12

-59.65%

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

$1.63 MX$30.18

$3.57 $3.57

-54.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 MX$23.07

$3.44 $3.44

-63.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$60.1

$4.86 $4.86

-33.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 MX$102

$6.81 $6.81

-18.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$31.50

$3.12 $3.12

-45.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 MX$55.8

$8.12 $8.12

-62.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.53

$12.15 $12.15

-84.20%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$50.5

$11.83 $11.83

-76.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.77 MX$218

$31.38 $31.38

-62.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 MX$176

$32.45 $32.45

-70.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 MX$266

$24.40 $24.40

-40.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$55.8

$22.40 $22.40

-86.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.01

$4.02 $4.02

-52.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$36.70

$17.72 $17.72

-88.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$40.38

$12.20 $12.20

-82.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.43

$7.90 $7.90

-75.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$34.49

$7.88 $7.88

-76.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MX$26.62

$5.13 $5.13

-71.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.39

$3.49 $3.49

-63.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 MX$96.4

$8.88 $8.88

-41.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.17 MX$299

$23.37 $23.37

-30.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 MX$35.03

$4.42 $4.42

-57.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MX$78.0

$6.02 $6.02

-29.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.30

$7.10 $7.10

-95.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.65 MX$363

$150 $150

-86.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MX$36.90

$30.19 $30.19

-93.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MX$9.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 MX$98.7

$49.78 $49.78

-89.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$28.13

$1.63 $1.63

-6.75%

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

$22.1K MX$408.0K

$47.1K $47.1K

-53.12%

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

$24.5K MX$452.9K

$52.8K $52.8K

-53.59%

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

$61.1 MX$1,129

$302 $302

-79.81%

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

$28.58 MX$528

$99.7 $99.7

-71.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.47 MX$637

$101 $101

-65.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 MX$1,042

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.88 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 MX$123

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

$427 MX$7,891

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K MX$215.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 MX$1,253

$81.6 $81.6

-16.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 MX$960

$49.95 $49.95

4.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MX$1,959

$83.4 $83.4

27.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MX$2,080

$99.9 $99.9

12.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 MX$18.9K

$3,920 $3,920

-73.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 MX$12.1K

$3,521 $3,521

-81.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,308 MX$42.7K

$4,982 $4,982

-53.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 MX$22.9K

$4,584 $4,584

-72.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,613 MX$66.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,936 MX$35.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$964 MX$17.8K

$4,557 $4,557

-78.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

61.43%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Saint John Island: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$654 42.3%

Saint John Island

$3.5K 57.3% 438% $2.9K

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$318 20.6%

Saint John Island

$989 16.1% 211% $671

Eating Out

Mexico City

$204 13.2%

Saint John Island

$784 12.8% 284% $580

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$152 9.8%

Saint John Island

$142 2.3% 6.9% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$124 8%

Saint John Island

$503 8.2% 305% $379

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$70 4.5%

Saint John Island

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Mexico City

$26 1.7%

Saint John Island

$209 * 3.4% 714% $183

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,025 in Mexico City and $3,920 in Saint John Island. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint John Island pays 373% 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: $49.00 in Mexico City vs $147 in Saint John Island for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $989 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇻🇮 Saint John Island

🕒 Local time

07:35 7:35 AM

09:35 9:35 AM

2 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

4,170

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Mexico City Saint John Island 3,610 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Saint John Island

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 Saint John Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Saint John Island differ by about 297% in total monthly costs ($1,548 vs $6,147 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 373% lower in Saint John Island. 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: $1,025 in Mexico City versus $3,920 in Saint John Island. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $147 in Saint John Island. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 663% less than in Saint John Island. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,548 in Mexico City versus $6,147 in Saint John Island, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Saint John Island. 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Saint John Island are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 297% less than in Saint John Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.