Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sal Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,011 in Sal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,501 in Sal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,992 in Sal.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 46% more expensive than in Sal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Sal is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$229

$5.68 CVE 550

131.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$934

$46.90 CVE 4,545

14.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$163

$7.44 CVE 721

25.40%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.5

$2.27 CVE 220

63.00%

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

$1.60 MX$27.98

$2.51 CVE 243

-36.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$1.13 CVE 110

-0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$4.01 CVE 388

-21.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.5

$3.13 CVE 303

54.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.84

$1.49 CVE 145

10.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.34

$2.13 CVE 206

27.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.29

$1.49 CVE 145

28.19%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.17

$2.85 CVE 277

-9.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$171

$11.19 CVE 1,085

-12.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$8.48 CVE 821

-0.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$208

$16.35 CVE 1,584

-27.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$2.87 CVE 278

2.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.35

$2.44 CVE 236

-28.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.66

$2.83 CVE 275

-27.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.93

$4.05 CVE 392

-49.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.49

$1.57 CVE 152

36.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.33

$1.92 CVE 186

17.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.17

$1.76 CVE 171

-21.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.47

$1.09 CVE 106

2.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.6

$4.64 CVE 450

-9.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$305

$6.86 CVE 665

155.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.82

$2.94 CVE 285

-41.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$63.4

$1.90 CVE 184

91.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.15

$1.04 CVE 101

-66.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.00

$2.12 CVE 206

-34.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.81

$2.90 CVE 281

-90.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$92.0

$12.90 CVE 1,250

-59.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.69

$1.43 CVE 138

-4.90%

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

$19.1K MX$333.2K

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

$23.6K MX$411.7K

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

$40.53 MX$707

$91.6 CVE 8,872

-55.73%

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

$27.38 MX$478

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$530

$54.0 CVE 5,229

-43.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$911

$35.41 CVE 3,432

47.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$108

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

$425 MX$7,414

$150 CVE 14.6K

182.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$187.2K

$2,509 CVE 243.1K

327.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

$31.05 CVE 3,009

87.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$777

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,805

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,897

$149 CVE 14.4K

-26.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.7K

$335 CVE 32.4K

202.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$289 CVE 28.0K

115.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$37.0K

$447 CVE 43.3K

373.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.3K

$393 CVE 38.1K

210.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

$666 CVE 64.5K

469.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

$336 CVE 32.6K

527.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.4K

$256 CVE 24.8K

310.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.17

83.79%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Sal: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $335 in Sal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 311% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $47.00 in Sal. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $300, 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 Sal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Sal differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $1,011 including rent). Sal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 311% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $335 in Sal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $150 in Sal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sal – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,011 in Sal versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sal but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sal 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 Sal 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 Sal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.