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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,273 in Salto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,869 in Salto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,464 in Salto.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 14% more expensive than in Salto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Salto is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$20.41 UYU 821

-35.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$39.63 UYU 1,594

35.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$8.95 UYU 360

8.16%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.98 UYU 120

25.50%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$2.23 UYU 89.7

-27.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$1.50 UYU 60.3

-22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$4.51 UYU 182

-28.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$3.25 UYU 131

45.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$0.95 UYU 38.28

73.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$1.20 UYU 48.44

129.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.50 UYU 60.4

24.67%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$3.45 UYU 139

-27.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$19.86 UYU 799

-48.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$7.41 UYU 298

11.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$10.05 UYU 404

17.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$0.99 UYU 39.87

102.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.44 UYU 57.8

38.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.52 UYU 21.07

180.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.25 UYU 50.4

-13.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$5.10 UYU 205

-14.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$7.42 UYU 298

128.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.81 UYU 73.0

-4.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.17 UYU 87.2

64.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$1.21 UYU 48.64

-67.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$44.45 UYU 1,788

-57.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$1.51 UYU 60.7

-11.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$1.49 UYU 59.9

-81.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$11.03 UYU 444

-52.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.89 UYU 76.0

-29.10%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$39.8K UYU 1.6M

-51.23%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$38.5K UYU 1.5M

-38.06%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$186 UYU 7,501

-78.18%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$20.12 UYU 809

33.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$33.80 UYU 1,360

-9.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$32.17 UYU 1,294

64.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$9.53 UYU 383

-31.69%

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

$428 MX$7,508

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$68.1 UYU 2,741

-15.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$60.6 UYU 2,436

-24.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$111 UYU 4,476

-6.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$66.6 UYU 2,681

61.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$426 UYU 17.2K

135.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$281 UYU 11.3K

121.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$738 UYU 29.7K

185.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$457 UYU 18.4K

166.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$613 UYU 24.7K

69.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Salto: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $426 in Salto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 69% 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 $40.00 in Salto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $225 per month, with Salto 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 Salto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Salto differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $1,273 including rent). Salto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 69% 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 $426 in Salto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Salto – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Salto runs roughly 138% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,273 in Salto versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Salto but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Salto 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 Salto 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 Salto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.