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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,478 in Sala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $2,218 in Sala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $2,957 in Sala.

Monthly costs are close between Mexico City and Sala; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Sala 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$12.53 SEK 119

4.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$63.7 SEK 605

-15.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$10.20 SEK 96.9

-8.53%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$3.19 SEK 30.28

15.99%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.86 SEK 17.70

-13.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$2.39 SEK 22.67

-53.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$7.42 SEK 70.5

-57.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$7.24 SEK 68.8

-33.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.78 SEK 16.87

-7.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$2.69 SEK 25.53

0.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$3.63 SEK 34.44

-47.38%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$3.86 SEK 36.68

-32.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$12.12 SEK 115

-19.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$11.89 SEK 113

-29.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$15.97 SEK 152

-25.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.14 SEK 29.85

-6.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$2.57 SEK 24.45

-32.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$2.84 SEK 27.01

-28.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$5.13 SEK 48.74

-59.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.56 SEK 14.78

37.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.18 SEK 11.17

91.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$2.71 SEK 25.77

-48.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$1.02 SEK 9.71

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$7.20 SEK 68.4

-41.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$6.24 SEK 59.3

180.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$2.50 SEK 23.73

-31.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$1.92 SEK 18.28

89.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$3.25 SEK 30.83

-89.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$22.30 SEK 212

-13.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$6.15 SEK 58.5

-77.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.58 SEK 15.05

-82.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$21.29 SEK 202

-75.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.97 SEK 18.69

-30.96%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$41.4K SEK 393.5K

-53.88%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$34.5K SEK 328.1K

-31.65%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$89.6 SEK 852

-54.79%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$21.17 SEK 201

29.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$36.99 SEK 351

-17.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$48.67 SEK 462

7.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$21.31 SEK 202

24.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$18.75 SEK 178

-66.99%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$148 SEK 1,404

187.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$1,284 SEK 12.2K

736.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$45.96 SEK 437

26.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$36.96 SEK 351

20.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$54.4 SEK 517

90.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$58.4 SEK 554

86.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$764 SEK 7,261

32.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$531 SEK 5,044

17.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$985 SEK 9,354

115.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$737 SEK 7,002

65.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$4,100 SEK 38.9K

-7.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$3,033 SEK 28.8K

-30.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$2,507 SEK 23.8K

-58.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.53

150.33%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Sala: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $764 in Sala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sala pays 138% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $64.0 in Sala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $345 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 Sala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 138% lower in Sala. 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $764 in Sala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $148 in Sala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $64.0 in Sala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,478 in Sala, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Sala. 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 Sala are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Mexico City wins on affordability, Sala on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.