😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $614 in San Francisco de Macoris.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $962 in San Francisco de Macoris.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,310 in San Francisco de Macoris.
😐Living in Mexico City is roughly 142% more expensive than San Francisco de Macoris, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, San Francisco de Macoris is 54% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.98MX$227
$3.72DOP 220
248.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.1MX$929
$13.37DOP 790
296.93%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.72MX$170
$6.91DOP 408
40.67%
Cappuccino
$3.75MX$65.6
$2.48DOP 147
51.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57MX$27.46
$0.62DOP 36.51
153.23%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13MX$19.76
$0.49DOP 28.94
130.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.18MX$55.7
$2.11DOP 124
50.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.66MX$81.6
$2.50DOP 148
86.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.62MX$28.37
$1.20DOP 70.8
35.00%
White Bread(500g)
$2.71MX$47.36
$1.75DOP 103
54.86%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.88MX$32.89
$1.13DOP 66.8
66.37%
Eggs
$2.51MX$43.90
$1.45DOP 85.5
73.10%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.08MX$176
$3.97DOP 235
153.90%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$3.39DOP 200
144.54%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.94MX$209
$6.75DOP 399
76.89%
Apples(1kg)
$2.86MX$50.1
$2.63DOP 155
8.75%
Banana(1kg)
$1.75MX$30.62
$0.80DOP 46.99
118.75%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.48
$1.24DOP 73.3
67.74%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.97MX$34.46
$0.82DOP 48.44
140.24%
Potato(1kg)
$2.16MX$37.79
$1.21DOP 71.3
78.51%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.16
$1.24DOP 73.2
75.81%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.39MX$24.34
$0.60DOP 35.57
131.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12MX$19.69
$0.88DOP 52.3
27.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20MX$73.5
$3.38DOP 200
24.26%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.25MX$249
$11.55DOP 683
23.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76MX$30.85
$2.66DOP 157
-33.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68MX$64.5
$3.12DOP 184
17.95%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.39MX$6.74
$0.57DOP 33.63
-31.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.66MX$327
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.39MX$24.26
$3.32DOP 196
-58.13%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.30MX$5.32
$2.01DOP 119
-85.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.42MX$94.9
$5.79DOP 342
-6.39%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35MX$23.63
$1.16DOP 68.4
16.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.9KMX$330.5K
$26.3KDOP 1.6M
-28.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2KMX$405.2K
$31.6KDOP 1.9M
-26.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.82MX$714
$38.98DOP 2,303
4.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.50MX$481
$8.47DOP 500
224.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38MX$532
$36.30DOP 2,145
-16.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.4MX$935
$17.21DOP 1,017
210.46%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.30MX$460
$8.66DOP 512
203.70%
Cinema Ticket
$6.27MX$110
$4.18DOP 247
50.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$436MX$7,632
$172DOP 10.2K
153.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.5KMX$183.2K
$2,016DOP 119.1K
419.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8MX$993
$25.03DOP 1,479
126.77%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.79MX$784
$51.8DOP 3,062
-13.57%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103MX$1,799
$66.8DOP 3,948
53.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108MX$1,888
$68.4DOP 4,042
57.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,000MX$17.5K
$159DOP 9,419
527.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$620MX$10.9K
$106DOP 6,247
486.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,137MX$37.4K
$333DOP 19.7K
541.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,235MX$21.6K
$269DOP 15.9K
359.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,865MX$67.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,332MX$40.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
San Francisco de Macoris
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,067MX$18.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.34
12.9
-12.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026
Last update for San Francisco de Macoris: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $159 in San Francisco de Macoris. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $13.00 in San Francisco de Macoris for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $178 per month, with San Francisco de Macoris 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 Francisco de Macoris: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and San Francisco de Macoris?
Mexico City and San Francisco de Macoris differ by about 142% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $614 including rent). San Francisco de Macoris is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to San Francisco de Macoris?
You'd need roughly $2,225 in Mexico City and $921 in San Francisco de Macoris 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and San Francisco de Macoris?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $159 in San Francisco de Macoris. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and San Francisco de Macoris?
Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $172 in San Francisco de Macoris. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in San Francisco de Macoris – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $614 in San Francisco de Macoris versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Francisco de Macoris but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes San Francisco de Macoris the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and San Francisco de Macoris?
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.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or San Francisco de Macoris?
Expats usually find San Francisco de Macoris gentler on the wallet – expenses run 142% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared