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 $1,370 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $2,131 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,893 in San Juan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 6% more expensive than San Juan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 8% above, San Juan 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$7.47 TTD 50.5

73.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$60.0 TTD 405

-12.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.58 TTD 51.3

24.41%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$3.76 TTD 25.43

-5.05%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.09 TTD 7.39

47.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.78 TTD 5.25

47.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.90 TTD 12.82

65.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.88 TTD 19.46

68.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.74 TTD 18.50

-37.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$2.70 TTD 18.26

-2.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.69 TTD 18.16

-29.37%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$4.99 TTD 33.75

-49.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$7.91 TTD 53.5

27.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$10.59 TTD 71.6

-21.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$14.54 TTD 98.3

-20.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$5.99 TTD 40.51

-49.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.60 TTD 17.59

-34.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$4.20 TTD 28.37

-51.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$4.80 TTD 32.49

-57.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.50 TTD 10.15

37.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.66 TTD 11.22

30.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.96 TTD 13.28

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.42 TTD 9.57

-21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$6.00 TTD 40.57

-28.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$18.42 TTD 125

-16.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.21 TTD 14.92

-24.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.84 TTD 19.19

29.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.05 TTD 7.12

31.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.27 TTD 8.57

-77.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$14.67 TTD 99.2

-63.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.15 TTD 7.78

11.30%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$34.6K TTD 233.6K

-45.07%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$38.9K TTD 262.9K

-39.67%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$79.4 TTD 537

-48.36%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$45.97 TTD 311

-41.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$62.1 TTD 420

-52.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$9.86 TTD 66.6

-37.32%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$323 TTD 2,181

32.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$7,203 TTD 48.7K

48.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$58.3 TTD 394

-2.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$37.72 TTD 255

18.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$147 TTD 992

-28.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$128 TTD 866

-17.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$741 TTD 5,012

34.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$446 TTD 3,013

39.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$1,033 TTD 6,985

105.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$751 TTD 5,075

67.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

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 Juan: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $741 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $60.0 in San Juan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $378 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 Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and San Juan differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,370 including rent). San Juan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $2,055 in San Juan 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $741 in San Juan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $323 in San Juan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Juan – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,370 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.

Expats usually find San Juan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.