Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Santa Fe Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Santa Fe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,682 in Mexico City versus $1,090 in Santa Fe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,599 in Mexico City versus $1,638 in Santa Fe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,516 in Mexico City versus $2,186 in Santa Fe.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 54% more expensive than in Santa Fe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 23% above, Santa Fe is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$9.92 ARS 14.8K

19.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$37.09 ARS 55.5K

40.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$12.30 ARS 18.4K

-11.63%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$1.76 ARS 2,629

128.98%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$1.55 ARS 2,318

10.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$1.37 ARS 2,057

-2.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$3.44 ARS 5,146

-1.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$4.97 ARS 7,433

15.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$1.01 ARS 1,505

87.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.56 ARS 2,333

103.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$1.04 ARS 1,551

97.12%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$1.60 ARS 2,401

88.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$8.39 ARS 12.6K

50.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$6.06 ARS 9,077

64.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$10.63 ARS 15.9K

50.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$1.99 ARS 2,980

64.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$1.58 ARS 2,360

30.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$0.80 ARS 1,201

161.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$2.51 ARS 3,759

-0.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$0.58 ARS 864

253.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$0.68 ARS 1,018

175.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$1.07 ARS 1,599

46.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$1.04 ARS 1,556

33.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$3.19 ARS 4,771

68.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

$4.87 ARS 7,287

268.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$1.27 ARS 1,898

59.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$2.11 ARS 3,162

125.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

$1.04 ARS 1,552

-65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$0.97 ARS 1,453

112.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

$1.01 ARS 1,518

-44.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$1.09 ARS 1,638

41.28%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$19.8K ARS 29.7M

13.27%

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$29.7K ARS 44.5M

-10.85%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$59.0 ARS 88.4K

11.78%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$19.63 ARS 29.4K

57.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$21.17 ARS 31.7K

71.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$34.48 ARS 51.6K

66.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$4.72 ARS 7,064

51.06%

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

$457 MX$7,738

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$86.9 ARS 130.2K

-12.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$59.0 ARS 88.4K

-8.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$119 ARS 177.6K

-1.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$142 ARS 212.7K

-14.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$518 ARS 775.2K

121.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

$354 ARS 529.8K

105.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

$933 ARS 1.4M

168.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

$597 ARS 893.6K

122.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

$1,254 ARS 1.9M

210.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

$1,019 ARS 1.5M

110.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$845 ARS 1.3M

26.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

100

-88.65%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Santa Fe: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Mexico City and $518 in Santa Fe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 26% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $37.00 in Santa Fe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $199 per month, with Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Santa Fe differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($1,682 vs $1,090 including rent). Santa Fe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,147 in Mexico City versus $518 in Santa Fe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Fe – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,682 per month in Mexico City versus $1,090 in Santa Fe – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,090 in Santa Fe versus $1,682 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Fe but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.