🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,541 in Santa Teresa.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $2,320 in Santa Teresa.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $3,099 in Santa Teresa.
🙂Living in Mexico City costs roughly 4% less than in Santa Teresa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City11% above, Santa Teresa15% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Santa Teresa
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.98MX$227
$10.20₡4,637
27.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.1MX$929
$42.87₡19.5K
23.79%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.72MX$170
$9.30₡4,229
4.52%
Cappuccino
$3.75MX$65.6
$3.87₡1,762
-3.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57MX$27.46
$2.05₡932
-23.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13MX$19.76
$1.64₡746
-31.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.18MX$55.7
$2.97₡1,349
7.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.66MX$81.6
$4.63₡2,104
0.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Santa Teresa
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.62MX$28.37
$2.06₡936
-21.36%
White Bread(500g)
$2.71MX$47.36
$2.86₡1,299
-5.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.88MX$32.89
$2.17₡986
-13.36%
Eggs
$2.51MX$43.90
$3.00₡1,366
-16.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.08MX$176
$9.85₡4,480
2.34%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$9.20₡4,185
-9.89%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.94MX$209
$13.43₡6,105
-11.09%
Apples(1kg)
$2.86MX$50.1
$4.58₡2,083
-37.55%
Banana(1kg)
$1.75MX$30.62
$1.52₡692
15.13%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.48
$4.07₡1,851
-48.89%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.97MX$34.46
$3.17₡1,442
-37.85%
Potato(1kg)
$2.16MX$37.79
$3.26₡1,480
-33.74%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.16
$2.55₡1,159
-14.51%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.39MX$24.34
$1.04₡471
33.65%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12MX$19.69
$2.81₡1,276
-60.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20MX$73.5
$5.08₡2,310
-17.32%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.25MX$249
$14.18₡6,450
0.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76MX$30.85
$2.33₡1,059
-24.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68MX$64.5
$2.53₡1,149
45.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Santa Teresa
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.39MX$6.74
$1.03₡468
-62.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.66MX$327
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.39MX$24.26
$1.80₡817
-22.78%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.30MX$5.32
$1.78₡809
-83.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.42MX$94.9
$8.05₡3,659
-32.67%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35MX$23.63
$1.44₡656
-6.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.9KMX$330.5K
$37.9K₡17.2M
-50.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2KMX$405.2K
$32.5K₡14.8M
-28.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Santa Teresa
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.82MX$714
$82.4₡37.5K
-50.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.50MX$481
$25.54₡11.6K
7.67%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38MX$532
$49.55₡22.5K
-38.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Santa Teresa
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.4MX$935
$49.39₡22.5K
8.18%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.30MX$460
$23.62₡10.7K
11.35%
Cinema Ticket
$6.27MX$110
$9.08₡4,131
-30.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Santa Teresa
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$436MX$7,632
$563₡256.2K
-22.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.5KMX$183.2K
$12.8K₡5.8M
-17.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Santa Teresa
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8MX$993
$62.2₡28.3K
-8.80%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.79MX$784
$51.0₡23.2K
-12.16%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103MX$1,799
$125₡56.8K
-17.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108MX$1,888
$108₡49.1K
0.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Santa Teresa
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,000MX$17.5K
$684₡311.2K
46.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$620MX$10.9K
$599₡272.3K
3.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,137MX$37.4K
$1,437₡653.3K
48.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,235MX$21.6K
$977₡444.1K
26.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,865MX$67.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,332MX$40.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Santa Teresa
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,067MX$18.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.34
10.17
11.50%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Mexico City: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Santa Teresa: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $684 in Santa Teresa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $43.00 in Santa Teresa. Groceries flip the comparison at $286 vs $348, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Mexico City vs Santa Teresa: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Santa Teresa?
Mexico City and Santa Teresa differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $1,541 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Santa Teresa?
You'd need roughly $2,225 in Mexico City and $2,311 in Santa Teresa 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and Santa Teresa?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $684 in Santa Teresa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Santa Teresa?
Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $563 in Santa Teresa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $43.00 in Santa Teresa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,541 in Santa Teresa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Santa Teresa. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Santa Teresa?
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.
Is Mexico City or Santa Teresa safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Santa Teresa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Santa Teresa?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Santa Teresa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado