Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and San Fernando, La Union Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and San Fernando, La Union

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $737 in San Fernando, La Union.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,097 in San Fernando, La Union.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,458 in San Fernando, La Union.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 128% more expensive than in San Fernando, La Union, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, San Fernando, La Union is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$3.79 ₱238

220.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$17.12 ₱1,073

214.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$2.77 ₱174

300.36%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.17 ₱136

88.94%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.61 ₱38.53

175.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.35 ₱21.71

297.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$1.13 ₱70.7

194.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$1.93 ₱121

204.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.62 ₱102

14.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.13 ₱70.7

180.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$0.93 ₱58.3

122.58%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$1.88 ₱118

55.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$5.32 ₱334

136.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$4.30 ₱269

135.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$7.27 ₱456

121.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.31 ₱145

46.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.56 ₱97.7

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$2.34 ₱147

-9.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.18 ₱74.0

104.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$2.13 ₱133

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.99 ₱125

1.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.77 ₱48.15

101.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.56 ₱34.84

142.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$2.90 ₱182

98.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$8.13 ₱510

118.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$0.99 ₱62.3

109.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$1.97 ₱123

134.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.25 ₱15.50

48.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$11.07 ₱694

91.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$0.82 ₱51.2

150.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.25 ₱15.71

132.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$1.89 ₱118

221.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.02 ₱64.1

51.96%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$21.6K ₱1.4M

6.01%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$19.7K ₱1.2M

38.05%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$124 ₱7,744

-45.43%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$15.07 ₱945

103.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$24.51 ₱1,537

51.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$31.96 ₱2,004

92.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$4.92 ₱308

451.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$5.18 ₱325

37.26%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$132 ₱8,300

244.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$7,963 ₱499.2K

71.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$31.98 ₱2,005

131.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$19.28 ₱1,208

195.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$71.0 ₱4,453

62.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$55.7 ₱3,494

117.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$268 ₱16.8K

328.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$170 ₱10.7K

316.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$491 ₱30.8K

425.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$346 ₱21.7K

274.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$2,558 ₱160.3K

56.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$1,038 ₱65.1K

105.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.75

67.41%

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 Fernando, La Union: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $268 in San Fernando, La Union. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $17.00 in San Fernando, La Union for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $179 per month, with San Fernando, La Union 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 San Fernando, La Union: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and San Fernando, La Union differ by about 128% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $737 including rent). San Fernando, La Union is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,515 in Mexico City and $1,105 in San Fernando, La Union to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $268 in San Fernando, La Union. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in San Fernando, La Union runs roughly 91% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $132 in San Fernando, La Union. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $737 in San Fernando, La Union versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Fernando, La Union but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes San Fernando, La Union 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 San Fernando, La Union 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 San Fernando, La Union gentler on the wallet – expenses run 128% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.