Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Saint Joseph, MO Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Saint Joseph, MO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,634 in Saint Joseph, MO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $2,515 in Saint Joseph, MO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $3,396 in Saint Joseph, MO.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 1% more expensive than in Saint Joseph, MO, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 20% above, Saint Joseph, MO 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$204

$19.71 $19.71

-38.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$881

$50.5 $50.5

3.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$10.78 $10.78

1.11%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.4

$4.91 $4.91

-17.52%

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

$1.72 MX$28.95

$2.13 $2.13

-19.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.25

$1.14 $1.14

21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.5

$5.03 $5.03

-31.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.1

$7.35 $7.35

-20.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.28

$0.76 $0.76

143.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.4

$3.07 $3.07

4.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.20

$6.16 $6.16

-66.07%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.10

$4.55 $4.55

-36.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$11.68 $11.68

6.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$4.47 $4.47

126.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$268

$14.65 $14.65

8.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$6.93 $6.93

-52.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.90

$2.29 $2.29

-6.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.97

$5.76 $5.76

-61.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.31

$4.37 $4.37

-43.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.95

$3.09 $3.09

-29.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.15

$3.66 $3.66

-48.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.26

$1.89 $1.89

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.78

$2.54 $2.54

-46.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.6

$9.71 $9.71

-44.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$7.85 $7.85

124.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.90

$1.87 $1.87

10.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.1

$2.57 $2.57

84.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.44

$5.06 $5.06

-59.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.75

$1.91 $1.91

-69.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$34.58 $34.58

-82.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.27

$0.90 $0.90

80.00%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

$35.6K $35.6K

-36.00%

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

$26.7K MX$450.0K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.87%

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

$65.2 MX$1,101

$123 $123

-46.92%

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

$29.87 MX$504

$51.6 $51.6

-42.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$617

$65.6 $65.6

-44.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$14.72 $14.72

-53.46%

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

$453 MX$7,652

$820 $820

-44.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$225.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,265

$50.7 $50.7

47.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$933

$34.49 $34.49

60.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,917

$90.4 $90.4

25.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,070

$127 $127

-3.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.1K

$622 $622

82.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$520 $520

36.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$1,111 $1,111

131.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.1K

$1,001 $1,001

30.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$2,651 $2,651

-60.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.89

91.85%

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 Joseph, MO: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $622 in Saint Joseph, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Joseph, MO pays 153% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $50.0 in Saint Joseph, MO. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $361, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

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 Joseph, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Saint Joseph, MO differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $1,634 including rent). Saint Joseph, MO is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 153% lower in Saint Joseph, MO. 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 $622 in Saint Joseph, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $820 in Saint Joseph, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Saint Joseph, MO – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,634 in Saint Joseph, MO versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Saint Joseph, MO but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Saint Joseph, MO 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 Saint Joseph, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.