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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,754 in San Pedro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $2,789 in San Pedro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $3,823 in San Pedro.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 5% less than in San Pedro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 21% above, San Pedro 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$12.11 ₡5,382

-1.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$59.8 ₡26.6K

-13.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$11.55 ₡5,133

-1.21%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$4.38 ₡1,946

-8.90%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$2.70 ₡1,199

-38.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$1.96 ₡872

-32.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$3.42 ₡1,521

1.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$4.38 ₡1,947

34.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$2.43 ₡1,082

-22.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$3.09 ₡1,375

5.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$2.53 ₡1,125

-14.62%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$3.49 ₡1,550

-16.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$10.83 ₡4,814

18.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$10.70 ₡4,757

-6.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$14.42 ₡6,409

9.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$5.25 ₡2,331

-37.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.60 ₡711

25.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$4.95 ₡2,198

-55.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$3.96 ₡1,762

-40.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$3.78 ₡1,680

-45.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$3.77 ₡1,676

-49.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.10 ₡488

46.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$3.18 ₡1,414

-55.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$5.96 ₡2,649

-8.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$20.51 ₡9,116

-13.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$2.79 ₡1,238

-26.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$3.69 ₡1,642

26.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$1.46 ₡647

-76.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$2.40 ₡1,068

-12.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.57 ₡696

-64.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$8.91 ₡3,962

-34.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.50 ₡665

7.33%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$21.8K ₡9.7M

4.73%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$35.1K ₡15.6M

-23.83%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$94.7 ₡42.1K

-31.16%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$37.49 ₡16.7K

-19.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$63.5 ₡28.2K

-41.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$68.1 ₡30.3K

-12.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$8.20 ₡3,646

-14.15%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$989 ₡439.4K

-53.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$16.9K ₡7.5M

-21.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$73.3 ₡32.6K

3.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$56.0 ₡24.9K

-0.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$128 ₡56.9K

-12.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$132 ₡58.4K

-8.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$802 ₡356.5K

37.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$578 ₡257.0K

24.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$2,000 ₡888.8K

26.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$1,247 ₡554.1K

3.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

8.78

28.70%

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 Pedro: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $802 in San Pedro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $60.0 in San Pedro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $408 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 Pedro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and San Pedro differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $1,754 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $2,631 in San Pedro 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $802 in San Pedro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $989 in San Pedro. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $60.0 in San Pedro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,754 in San Pedro, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in San Pedro. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in San Pedro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.