Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and San Fernando Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and San Fernando

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $700 in San Fernando.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,045 in San Fernando.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,391 in San Fernando.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 137% more expensive than in San Fernando, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, San Fernando is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$3.88 ₱244

207.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$16.54 ₱1,039

211.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$2.88 ₱181

296.18%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$1.85 ₱116

115.68%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$0.39 ₱24.32

325.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.31 ₱19.29

329.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$1.02 ₱64.3

240.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$1.30 ₱82.0

353.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$1.66 ₱104

13.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$1.16 ₱73.0

180.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$0.91 ₱56.9

137.36%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$1.98 ₱125

46.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$5.22 ₱328

146.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.45 ₱217

191.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$7.78 ₱489

103.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$2.29 ₱144

43.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$1.29 ₱81.3

55.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.34 ₱147

-5.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$1.07 ₱67.4

120.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$1.68 ₱106

22.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$1.60 ₱101

18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$0.67 ₱41.88

140.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.53 ₱33.30

164.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$2.88 ₱181

89.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.82 ₱554

100.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$0.90 ₱56.4

128.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$1.29 ₱81.3

262.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.27 ₱16.68

25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

$11.28 ₱709

84.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.66 ₱41.65

218.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.23 ₱14.41

143.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$0.94 ₱58.9

518.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.98 ₱61.8

64.29%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$21.0K ₱1.3M

8.61%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$19.3K ₱1.2M

38.92%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$143 ₱8,972

-54.36%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$17.75 ₱1,115

69.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$23.63 ₱1,485

57.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$31.58 ₱1,984

89.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

$4.85 ₱305

447.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.91 ₱308

43.38%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$78.2 ₱4,910

494.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$1,130 ₱71.0K

1074.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$19.26 ₱1,210

293.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$15.83 ₱994

253.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$31.40 ₱1,973

256.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$47.12 ₱2,960

155.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$264 ₱16.6K

317.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$172 ₱10.8K

319.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$495 ₱31.1K

411.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$353 ₱22.2K

266.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

$2,815 ₱176.8K

41.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,052 ₱66.1K

98.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$334 ₱21.0K

210.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

88.33%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $264 in San Fernando. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 211% 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 $17.00 in San Fernando for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $172 per month, with San Fernando 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: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and San Fernando differ by about 137% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $700 including rent). San Fernando is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 211% 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 $264 in San Fernando. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in San Fernando runs roughly 84% 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 $78.2 in San Fernando. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $700 in San Fernando versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Fernando but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes San Fernando 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 Fernando gentler on the wallet – expenses run 137% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.