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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,416 in Saltillo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $2,214 in Saltillo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $3,013 in Saltillo.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 17% more expensive than in Saltillo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 21% above, Saltillo 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$11.82 MX$204

0.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$53.0 MX$914

-2.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.20 MX$124

58.47%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$3.73 MX$64.2

6.97%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$1.39 MX$23.93

19.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$1.13 MX$19.41

17.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$2.28 MX$39.29

52.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$4.04 MX$69.6

46.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.58 MX$27.18

18.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$3.65 MX$62.9

-10.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$2.08 MX$35.85

3.85%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.43 MX$41.85

19.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$11.46 MX$198

12.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$9.29 MX$160

8.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$10.40 MX$179

52.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.84 MX$49.01

15.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.35 MX$23.20

48.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.79 MX$30.78

22.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$2.11 MX$36.30

11.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$2.30 MX$39.66

-10.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$2.78 MX$47.98

-31.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.33 MX$22.86

21.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$1.20 MX$20.62

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$4.74 MX$81.7

15.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$11.03 MX$190

60.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$2.45 MX$42.18

-15.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.54 MX$26.64

203.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.90 MX$15.46

-62.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$17.16 MX$296

21.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$2.88 MX$49.69

-27.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$2.04 MX$35.22

-72.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.56 MX$26.95

3.21%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$20.3K MX$349.4K

12.70%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$25.2K MX$435.2K

5.98%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$50.7 MX$874

28.61%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$35.13 MX$606

-14.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$31.51 MX$543

17.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$60.7 MX$1,046

-1.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$14.62 MX$252

81.60%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$6.28 MX$108

12.10%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$267 MX$4,599

74.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$2,832 MX$48.8K

368.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$61.3 MX$1,057

23.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$60.8 MX$1,049

-8.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$91.3 MX$1,574

22.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$133 MX$2,300

-9.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$593 MX$10.2K

85.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$531 MX$9,162

35.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$1,014 MX$17.5K

149.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$1,014 MX$17.5K

27.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$574 MX$9,894

595.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$962 MX$16.6K

117.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$857 MX$14.8K

21.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

10.53

7.31%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Saltillo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $593 in Saltillo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 21% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $53.0 in Saltillo. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $292, with Saltillo 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 Saltillo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Saltillo differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $1,416 including rent). Saltillo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 21% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $593 in Saltillo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Saltillo runs roughly 21% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $267 in Saltillo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,416 in Saltillo versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Saltillo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Saltillo 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 Saltillo 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 Saltillo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.