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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $765 in Sale.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,245 in Sale.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,724 in Sale.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 90% more expensive than in Sale, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Sale is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$4.65 MAD 43.51

181.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$32.54 MAD 304

65.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$6.71 MAD 62.8

44.26%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.98 MAD 18.49

88.89%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.69 MAD 6.44

134.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.37 MAD 3.49

213.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$5.41 MAD 50.7

-40.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$3.99 MAD 37.32

18.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$0.95 MAD 8.86

73.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.55 MAD 5.10

400.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.91 MAD 17.84

-2.09%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.99 MAD 18.65

25.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$12.96 MAD 121

-21.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$5.98 MAD 56.0

37.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$11.78 MAD 110

0.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.50 MAD 14.08

100.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.40 MAD 13.08

29.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$0.97 MAD 9.05

106.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$0.90 MAD 8.42

122.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.80 MAD 7.51

160.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.79 MAD 7.41

187.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.39 MAD 3.68

274.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.59 MAD 5.51

83.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$4.26 MAD 39.87

2.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$4.97 MAD 46.54

241.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$2.64 MAD 24.66

-34.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.55 MAD 23.82

40.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.53 MAD 5.00

-26.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$24.65 MAD 231

-24.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.54 MAD 5.02

146.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.52 MAD 4.87

-46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$4.30 MAD 40.22

22.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.54 MAD 14.42

-12.99%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$37.3K MAD 348.8K

-47.93%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$29.9K MAD 280.2K

-20.42%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$33.10 MAD 310

22.93%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$10.92 MAD 102

146.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$45.41 MAD 425

-32.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$14.62 MAD 137

261.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$23.33 MAD 218

14.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$6.56 MAD 61.4

-0.76%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$111 MAD 1,034

287.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$6,395 MAD 59.8K

64.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$43.41 MAD 406

31.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$49.78 MAD 466

-8.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$109 MAD 1,020

-4.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$98.9 MAD 925

9.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$280 MAD 2,618

258.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$172 MAD 1,614

261.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$505 MAD 4,730

317.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$301 MAD 2,818

304.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$1,163 MAD 10.9K

234.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$850 MAD 7,953

139.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$543 MAD 5,079

91.17%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sale: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $280 in Sale. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 91% 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 $33.00 in Sale for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $200 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 90% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $765 including rent). Sale is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 91% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $280 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 32% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $111 in Sale. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $765 in Sale versus $1,456 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 90% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.