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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,466 in Mexico City versus $1,496 in San Salvador.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,325 in Mexico City versus $2,211 in San Salvador.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,184 in Mexico City versus $2,925 in San Salvador.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 2% less than in San Salvador, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, San Salvador 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 MX$231

$8.01 $8.01

66.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$932

$35.37 $35.37

52.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$6.91 $6.91

36.32%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$3.24 $3.24

10.80%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.10 $1.10

47.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$0.87 $0.87

28.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$1.96 $1.96

65.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 MX$80.6

$2.94 $2.94

58.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.80 $1.80

-8.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$46.00

$1.99 $1.99

33.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.99

$1.48 $1.48

32.43%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.08

$2.88 $2.88

-11.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 MX$173

$7.02 $7.02

42.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 MX$145

$6.51 $6.51

28.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 MX$205

$10.73 $10.73

10.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.62

$3.26 $3.26

-12.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.05

$1.73 $1.73

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.50

$2.63 $2.63

-24.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.51

$2.65 $2.65

-22.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$2.25 $2.25

-8.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 MX$39.54

$2.20 $2.20

3.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.05

$0.95 $0.95

52.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.83

$1.02 $1.02

6.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$3.95 $3.95

8.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 MX$254

$10.95 $10.95

33.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.58

$1.71 $1.71

2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MX$61.8

$2.49 $2.49

43.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.67

$0.37 $0.37

2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

$24.51 $24.51

-23.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.09

$5.63 $5.63

-75.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.26

$3.01 $3.01

-90.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$93.8

$19.90 $19.90

-72.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.22

$1.00 $1.00

34.00%

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

$18.9K MX$326.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

-27.45%

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

$23.2K MX$402.0K

$28.0K $28.0K

-17.08%

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

$40.30 MX$698

$104 $104

-61.23%

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

$27.15 MX$471

$18.89 $18.89

43.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$510

$42.11 $42.11

-30.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 MX$914

$31.65 $31.65

66.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

$20.34 $20.34

28.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$107

$5.29 $5.29

16.82%

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

$441 MX$7,637

$147 $147

199.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.4K

$5,975 $5,975

79.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 MX$992

$68.0 $68.0

-15.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.04 MX$781

$43.13 $43.13

4.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,793

$118 $118

-12.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,884

$104 $104

4.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.3K

$844 $844

18.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 MX$11.0K

$709 $709

-10.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 MX$37.1K

$1,464 $1,464

46.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 MX$21.7K

$1,110 $1,110

12.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 MX$64.9K

$2,830 $2,830

32.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,381 MX$41.3K

$1,835 $1,835

29.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.7K

$376 $376

187.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

8.58

32.17%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Last update for San Salvador: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $844 in San Salvador. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 187% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54 in Mexico City vs $35 in San Salvador for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $254 per month, with San Salvador 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 Salvador: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and San Salvador differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,466 vs $1,496 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 187% 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $844 in San Salvador. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 31% less than in San Salvador. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $441 in Mexico City versus $147 in San Salvador. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,466 in Mexico City versus $1,496 in San Salvador, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in San Salvador. 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 2% less than in San Salvador. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.