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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $615 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,006 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,396 in San Juan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 135% more expensive than San Juan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, San Juan is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$6.13 ARS 8,750

111.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$30.55 ARS 43.6K

72.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$8.13 ARS 11.6K

15.99%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.51 ARS 2,152

136.42%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.96 ARS 1,368

67.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.85 ARS 1,209

35.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.95 ARS 2,787

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.92 ARS 4,165

66.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$0.78 ARS 1,120

117.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.66 ARS 944

300.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.21 ARS 1,733

57.02%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.65 ARS 2,361

53.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$3.34 ARS 4,772

201.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.44 ARS 4,920

140.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$4.09 ARS 5,838

182.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.48 ARS 2,110

104.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.47 ARS 2,097

16.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.46 ARS 2,080

40.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$2.10 ARS 3,001

-1.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.66 ARS 950

212.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.66 ARS 947

228.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.38 ARS 547

268.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.86 ARS 1,234

30.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$1.76 ARS 2,514

143.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$5.05 ARS 7,208

205.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.47 ARS 2,107

13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.75 ARS 2,503

110.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.29 ARS 412

31.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$4.97 ARS 7,106

283.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.45 ARS 644

206.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.02 ARS 1,462

-72.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$4.99 ARS 7,123

8.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.10 ARS 1,568

16.36%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$31.1K ARS 44.4M

-39.00%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$20.7K ARS 29.6M

13.22%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$76.0 ARS 108.5K

-46.01%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$4.99 ARS 7,127

439.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$9.87 ARS 14.1K

200.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$17.65 ARS 25.2K

196.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$6.13 ARS 8,757

327.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$2.03 ARS 2,900

204.43%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$102 ARS 145.6K

318.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$2,116 ARS 3.0M

405.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$50.5 ARS 72.2K

12.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$50.3 ARS 71.9K

-10.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$100 ARS 143.1K

4.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$119 ARS 170.4K

-11.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$153 ARS 218.2K

551.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$89.6 ARS 128.0K

593.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$247 ARS 353.2K

759.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$196 ARS 280.3K

538.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,502 ARS 3.6M

56.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$2,087 ARS 3.0M

0.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$697 ARS 996.0K

58.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-85.65%

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 Juan: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $153 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 59% 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 $31.00 in San Juan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $134 per month, with San Juan 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 Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and San Juan differ by about 135% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $615 including rent). San Juan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 59% 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 $153 in San Juan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in San Juan runs roughly 284% 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 $102 in San Juan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $615 in San Juan versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Juan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan 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 Juan 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 Juan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.