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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,480 in San Salvador.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $2,194 in San Salvador.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,908 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 8% above, San Salvador 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$226

$7.90 $7.90

64.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$917

$35.29 $35.29

49.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$164

$7.11 $7.11

32.63%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$62.2

$3.22 $3.22

10.87%

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

$1.61 MX$27.97

$1.11 $1.11

45.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$20.10

$0.86 $0.86

33.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.9

$2.01 $2.01

56.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$84.6

$2.93 $2.93

65.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.61

$1.81 $1.81

-6.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.91

$2.07 $2.07

27.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.15

$1.51 $1.51

25.83%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.27

$2.76 $2.76

-7.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$6.91 $6.91

45.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$6.60 $6.60

25.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$202

$10.92 $10.92

5.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.7

$3.22 $3.22

-5.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.79

$1.74 $1.74

-1.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.69

$2.61 $2.61

-21.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.88

$2.71 $2.71

-23.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.96

$2.24 $2.24

-8.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.80

$2.11 $2.11

2.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.44

$1.01 $1.01

38.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.54

$1.03 $1.03

8.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$74.8

$4.06 $4.06

5.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$269

$11.85 $11.85

30.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$29.17

$1.76 $1.76

-5.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$64.2

$2.52 $2.52

46.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.65

$0.33 $0.33

15.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$332

$25.21 $25.21

-24.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.05

$5.55 $5.55

-75.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.81

$3.03 $3.03

-90.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.3

$20.33 $20.33

-73.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.31

$1.03 $1.03

24.27%

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

$19.0K MX$330.6K

$25.1K $25.1K

-24.37%

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

$23.5K MX$408.7K

$28.6K $28.6K

-18.04%

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

$41.02 MX$715

$104 $104

-60.44%

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

$26.92 MX$469

$19.40 $19.40

38.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$517

$41.32 $41.32

-28.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$912

$31.12 $31.12

68.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$457

$19.78 $19.78

32.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$108

$5.20 $5.20

18.85%

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

$427 MX$7,440

$149 $149

186.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$186.4K

$5,946 $5,946

79.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$990

$68.5 $68.5

-17.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$781

$43.83 $43.83

2.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,821

$118 $118

-11.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,846

$103 $103

2.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.3K

$851 $851

16.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.8K

$703 $703

-11.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$37.0K

$1,468 $1,468

44.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.8K

$1,096 $1,096

14.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$68.0K

$2,752 $2,752

41.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.5K

$1,844 $1,844

13.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.3K

$380 $380

191.72%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for San Salvador: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $851 in San Salvador. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 192% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $35.00 in San Salvador for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $258 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 ($1,447 vs $1,480 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 192% 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 $851 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 32% less than in San Salvador. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $149 in San Salvador. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,480 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.