Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and San Antonio de Petrel Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and San Antonio de Petrel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $389 in San Antonio de Petrel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $542 in San Antonio de Petrel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $695 in San Antonio de Petrel.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 331% more expensive than in San Antonio de Petrel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, San Antonio de Petrel is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.62 CLP 582

124.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.89 CLP 835

-58.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$0.82 CLP 770

150.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$3.13 CLP 2,943

-81.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.51 CLP 1,421

2.65%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

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

$30.62 MX$520

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$21.05 CLP 19.8K

76.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$27.24 CLP 25.6K

125.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$4.85 CLP 4,566

46.60%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$65.5 CLP 61.6K

597.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$1,201 CLP 1.1M

1040.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$75.2 CLP 70.7K

53.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$324 CLP 305.4K

253.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$270 CLP 254.0K

162.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$633 CLP 595.7K

307.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$484 CLP 455.3K

167.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$426 CLP 401.0K

153.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for San Antonio de Petrel: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $324 in San Antonio de Petrel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 154% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 San Antonio de Petrel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and San Antonio de Petrel differ by about 331% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $389 including rent). San Antonio de Petrel is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 154% 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $324 in San Antonio de Petrel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $65.5 in San Antonio de Petrel. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $1,677 per month in Mexico City versus $389 in San Antonio de Petrel – a 331% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $389 in San Antonio de Petrel versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Antonio de Petrel but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes San Antonio de Petrel 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.

Expats usually find San Antonio de Petrel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 331% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.