Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sao Tome Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sao Tome

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,084 in Sao Tome.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,847 in Sao Tome.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $2,610 in Sao Tome.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 36% more expensive than in Sao Tome, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Sao Tome is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$20.29 STN 432

-35.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$46.34 STN 987

15.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$9.91 STN 211

-5.85%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.75 STN 37.36

111.43%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.85 STN 39.42

-13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$1.13 STN 24.12

-0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.61 STN 34.31

95.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$1.83 STN 38.98

165.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.36 STN 28.98

21.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.04 STN 22.22

160.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$2.33 STN 49.62

-18.03%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$4.95 STN 106

-47.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$19.97 STN 425

-50.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$19.99 STN 426

-57.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$25.18 STN 536

-52.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$4.67 STN 99.6

-36.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.14 STN 24.36

52.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$4.11 STN 87.6

-50.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$3.50 STN 74.5

-41.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$2.58 STN 55.0

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$2.01 STN 42.79

12.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.67 STN 14.34

107.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$1.97 STN 41.89

-43.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.33 STN 49.59

81.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$8.26 STN 176

111.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.32 STN 28.15

29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$1.28 STN 27.28

183.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$1.22 STN 25.95

-71.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$14.08 STN 300

-62.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.65 STN 35.04

-17.58%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$23.1K STN 491.7K

2.26%

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

$40.53 MX$701

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

$27.38 MX$474

$34.69 STN 739

-21.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$71.0 STN 1,512

-57.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$36.70 STN 782

42.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$29.22 STN 622

-9.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$20.60 STN 439

-69.95%

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

$425 MX$7,355

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$19.07 STN 406

470.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$341 STN 7,253

197.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$234 STN 4,988

165.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$671 STN 14.3K

215.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$531 STN 11.3K

130.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,863 STN 39.7K

103.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$1,165 STN 24.8K

81.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$259 STN 5,527

305.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

7.38

53.66%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Sao Tome: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $341 in Sao Tome. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 306% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $46.00 in Sao Tome. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $416, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

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 Sao Tome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Sao Tome differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $1,084 including rent). Sao Tome is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 306% 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $341 in Sao Tome. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sao Tome – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,472 per month in Mexico City versus $1,084 in Sao Tome – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,084 in Sao Tome versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sao Tome but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Tome 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 Sao Tome 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 Sao Tome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.