Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and San Rafael, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,567 a month against $4,929 in San Rafael, CA, rent and utilities included – about $40,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

76

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
238

Cost of Living Index in San Rafael, CA
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San Rafael, CA Living Index

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Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,567

/mo nomad

San Rafael, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,929

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in San Rafael, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in San Rafael, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,567 in Mexico City versus $4,929 in San Rafael, CA.

Mexico City $1,567
San Rafael, CA $4,929

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,450 in Mexico City versus $6,391 in San Rafael, CA.

Mexico City $2,450
San Rafael, CA $6,391

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,333 in Mexico City versus $7,853 in San Rafael, CA.

Mexico City $3,333
San Rafael, CA $7,853

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 68% less than in San Rafael, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 16% above, San Rafael, CA 265% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.75 MX$199

$24.68 $24.68

-56.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 MX$929

$120 $120

-58.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.10 MX$205

$12.05 $12.05

-7.88%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.1

$4.74 $4.74

-22.36%

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

$1.65 MX$30.42

$3.03 $3.03

-45.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 MX$24.08

$2.93 $2.93

-55.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 MX$61.3

$5.38 $5.38

-38.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.54 MX$102

$6.98 $6.98

-20.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 MX$32.68

$1.42 $1.42

24.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 MX$56.4

$4.51 $4.51

-32.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 MX$37.20

$9.69 $9.69

-79.26%

Eggs

$2.77 MX$51.1

$5.42 $5.42

-48.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.91 MX$220

$23.21 $23.21

-48.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.33 MX$172

$15.45 $15.45

-39.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.02 MX$278

$18.15 $18.15

-17.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 MX$56.8

$7.63 $7.63

-59.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.97

$2.93 $2.93

-33.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 MX$37.54

$6.29 $6.29

-67.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 MX$40.92

$8.58 $8.58

-74.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$37.41

$5.89 $5.89

-65.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 MX$33.67

$5.44 $5.44

-66.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 MX$28.07

$3.07 $3.07

-50.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$23.65

$3.89 $3.89

-67.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.27 MX$97.4

$10.85 $10.85

-51.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.12 MX$298

$12.96 $12.96

24.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 MX$36.05

$2.23 $2.23

-12.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MX$78.6

$2.99 $2.99

42.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 MX$5.82

$2.05 $2.05

-84.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.85 MX$367

$65.7 $65.7

-69.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MX$36.93

$4.10 $4.10

-51.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.86

$4.44 $4.44

-88.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 MX$104

$28.84 $28.84

-80.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$28.07

$1.44 $1.44

5.56%

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

$21.0K MX$388.7K

$32.0K $32.0K

-34.36%

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

$25.2K MX$465.3K

$26.4K $26.4K

-4.75%

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

$62.5 MX$1,155

$253 $253

-75.35%

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

$28.77 MX$532

$85.4 $85.4

-66.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.45 MX$637

$61.3 $61.3

-43.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,055

$124 $124

-53.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.81 MX$458

$30.21 $30.21

-17.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 MX$123

$13.14 $13.14

-49.24%

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

$431 MX$7,964

$2,088 $2,088

-79.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K MX$216.9K

$25.1K $25.1K

-53.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 MX$1,308

$59.7 $59.7

18.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 MX$958

$42.92 $42.92

20.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MX$2,011

$96.8 $96.8

12.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MX$2,076

$126 $126

-11.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 MX$19.4K

$3,074 $3,074

-65.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 MX$12.3K

$3,202 $3,202

-79.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,346 MX$43.3K

$4,278 $4,278

-45.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 MX$22.7K

$3,860 $3,860

-68.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,554 MX$65.7K

$7,456 $7,456

-52.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,977 MX$36.5K

$5,281 $5,281

-62.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$975 MX$18.0K

$7,077 $7,077

-86.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.62

70.69%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 11, 2026

Last update for San Rafael, CA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$665 42.4%

San Rafael, CA

$3.2K 65% 381% $2.5K

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$323 20.6%

San Rafael, CA

$575 11.7% 78.3% $253

Eating Out

Mexico City

$203 13%

San Rafael, CA

$355 7.2% 75% $152

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$155 9.9%

San Rafael, CA

$147 3% 5.2% $8.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 8%

San Rafael, CA

$400 8.1% 218% $274

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$70 4.5%

San Rafael, CA

$150 3% 113% $80

Getting Around

Mexico City

$26 1.6%

San Rafael, CA

$100 2% 289% $74

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,051 in Mexico City and $3,074 in San Rafael, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Rafael, CA pays 626% 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: $50.0 in Mexico City vs $120 in San Rafael, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 vs $575 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇺🇸 San Rafael, CA

🕒 Local time

14:33 2:33 PM

13:33 1:33 PM

1 h behind Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

58,704

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mexico City San Rafael, CA 3,060 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
San Rafael, CA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Rafael, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and San Rafael, CA differ by about 215% in total monthly costs ($1,567 vs $4,929 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 626% lower in San Rafael, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,051 in Mexico City versus $3,074 in San Rafael, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 231% less than in San Rafael, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $431 in Mexico City versus $2,088 in San Rafael, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,567 in Mexico City versus $4,929 in San Rafael, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in San Rafael, CA. 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and San Rafael, CA 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 215% less than in San Rafael, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.