Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Saint John's Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Saint John's

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,710 in Saint John's.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $2,733 in Saint John's.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $3,757 in Saint John's.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 15% less than in Saint John's, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 8% above, Saint John's 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$14.01 EC$37.84

-7.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$81.9 EC$221

-35.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$11.32 EC$30.56

-16.70%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$4.05 EC$10.93

-11.85%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$2.05 EC$5.53

-21.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.98 EC$2.63

17.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.90 EC$5.13

65.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$4.54 EC$12.27

7.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.17 EC$5.86

-21.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$2.79 EC$7.54

-5.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.79 EC$4.85

6.15%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$5.31 EC$14.35

-52.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$7.98 EC$21.55

26.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$8.31 EC$22.44

-0.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$6.62 EC$17.86

-54.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.50 EC$6.75

-31.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$8.33 EC$22.49

-75.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$8.12 EC$21.93

-74.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$2.89 EC$7.79

-28.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.91 EC$7.86

-25.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$2.54 EC$6.85

-44.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.83 EC$4.93

-38.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$9.24 EC$24.94

66.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.70 EC$7.28

-38.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$3.67 EC$9.91

0.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$1.03 EC$2.79

-63.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$5.65 EC$15.26

-75.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$5.73 EC$15.46

-95.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$20.20 EC$54.6

-73.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.74 EC$4.71

-26.44%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$23.3K EC$63.0K

-18.65%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$20.8K EC$56.0K

13.04%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$129 EC$348

-68.19%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$39.94 EC$108

-32.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$72.9 EC$197

-59.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$63.7 EC$172

-17.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$37.27 EC$101

-29.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$6.22 EC$16.78

-0.64%

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

$427 MX$7,331

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$1,851 EC$4,997

478.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$73.4 EC$198

42.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$1,126 EC$3,039

-11.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$754 EC$2,036

-17.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$1,639 EC$4,425

29.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$1,498 EC$4,046

-16.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$1,381 EC$3,729

-19.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.5

106.18%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Saint John's: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $1,126 in Saint John's. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint John's pays 25% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $82.0 in Saint John's for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $351 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 John's: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Saint John's differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,710 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Saint John's earns 25% less. 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $1,126 in Saint John's. 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 $53.0 versus $82.0 in Saint John's. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $1,710 in Saint John's – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,710 in Saint John's, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Saint John's. 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's 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 18% less than in Saint John's. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.