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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,198 in San Fernando.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,963 in San Fernando.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,727 in San Fernando.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 21% more expensive than San Fernando, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, San Fernando is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$10.19 TTD 68.9

27.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$59.3 TTD 401

-11.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.36 TTD 49.77

28.12%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$3.55 TTD 24.03

0.56%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.06 TTD 7.15

51.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.75 TTD 5.06

53.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.89 TTD 12.77

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.46 TTD 16.63

97.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.07 TTD 14.01

-17.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$2.34 TTD 15.81

12.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.63 TTD 17.77

-27.76%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$3.77 TTD 25.47

-32.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$7.96 TTD 53.8

26.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$10.53 TTD 71.2

-21.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$8.52 TTD 57.6

35.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$5.96 TTD 40.27

-49.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.58 TTD 17.48

-33.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$4.32 TTD 29.23

-52.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$4.74 TTD 32.05

-56.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.23 TTD 8.30

67.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.73 TTD 4.92

197.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.46 TTD 9.84

-4.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.21 TTD 8.16

-7.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$5.69 TTD 38.45

-24.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$17.94 TTD 121

-14.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.54 TTD 10.41

8.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.82 TTD 19.06

30.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.42 TTD 2.86

-9.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$43.75 TTD 296

-56.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.86 TTD 5.79

60.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.91 TTD 6.16

-69.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$14.70 TTD 99.4

-63.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.03 TTD 6.98

24.27%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$33.8K TTD 228.2K

-43.77%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$38.4K TTD 259.8K

-38.95%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$44.62 TTD 302

-8.07%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$41.80 TTD 283

-35.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$45.79 TTD 310

-35.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$45.66 TTD 309

14.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$8.95 TTD 60.5

193.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$9.01 TTD 60.9

-31.41%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$324 TTD 2,190

31.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$2,257 TTD 15.3K

373.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$44.69 TTD 302

27.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$36.57 TTD 247

22.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$89.0 TTD 602

17.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$87.7 TTD 593

20.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$550 TTD 3,720

80.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$341 TTD 2,302

82.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$952 TTD 6,436

123.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$697 TTD 4,714

79.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,003 TTD 13.5K

94.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,489 TTD 10.1K

40.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$1,031 TTD 6,971

7.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.38

110.78%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $550 in San Fernando. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 7% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $59.0 in San Fernando for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $333 per month, with Mexico City 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 21% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,198 including rent). San Fernando is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 7% more on average, 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $550 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 130% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $324 in San Fernando. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,198 in San Fernando versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 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 21% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.