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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $790 in Sale.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,236 in Sale.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,682 in Sale.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 86% more expensive than Sale, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Sale is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$4.79 MAD 44.07

175.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$32.28 MAD 297

66.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$6.66 MAD 61.3

41.44%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$2.07 MAD 19.07

71.50%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$0.69 MAD 6.35

134.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.40 MAD 3.71

177.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$5.63 MAD 51.8

-44.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$4.20 MAD 38.70

10.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$0.94 MAD 8.69

80.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$0.58 MAD 5.37

368.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$1.95 MAD 17.99

-2.05%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$2.05 MAD 18.89

23.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$13.28 MAD 122

-24.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$6.28 MAD 57.8

28.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$11.97 MAD 110

-2.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$1.51 MAD 13.86

96.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.34 MAD 12.31

35.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$0.96 MAD 8.84

109.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$0.89 MAD 8.24

128.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$0.80 MAD 7.35

165.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$0.80 MAD 7.36

183.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$0.43 MAD 3.93

225.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.60 MAD 5.52

88.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$4.42 MAD 40.72

-3.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$5.04 MAD 46.37

208.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$2.61 MAD 24.00

-32.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$2.48 MAD 22.80

45.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.52 MAD 4.82

-26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$24.86 MAD 229

-22.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$0.53 MAD 4.87

160.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$0.49 MAD 4.50

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$4.50 MAD 41.45

21.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$1.58 MAD 14.57

-17.72%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$36.6K MAD 336.6K

-48.88%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$29.6K MAD 272.8K

-21.94%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$33.39 MAD 307

22.37%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$10.94 MAD 101

145.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$45.90 MAD 423

-34.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$14.46 MAD 133

259.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$23.50 MAD 216

14.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$6.52 MAD 60.0

-3.37%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$114 MAD 1,052

281.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$6,309 MAD 58.1K

65.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$42.83 MAD 394

32.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$51.0 MAD 470

-13.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$106 MAD 972

-2.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$99.3 MAD 914

6.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$279 MAD 2,565

266.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$173 MAD 1,590

265.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$498 MAD 4,587

328.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$304 MAD 2,801

308.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$1,183 MAD 10.9K

229.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$856 MAD 7,880

141.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$543 MAD 4,998

105.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.81

135.76%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sale: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $279 in Sale. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 105% 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 $32.00 in Sale for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $203 per month, with Sale 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 Sale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Sale differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $790 including rent). Sale is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 105% more on average, 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $279 in Sale. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sale runs roughly 30% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $114 in Sale. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $790 in Sale versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sale but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sale 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 Sale 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 Sale gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.