😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $815 in Saraburi.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,507 in Saraburi.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $2,198 in Saraburi.
🌍Living in Mexico City is roughly 102% more expensive than in Saraburi, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Saraburi is 41% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Saraburi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.11MX$204
$6.37฿210
90.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.2MX$881
$27.71฿911
88.49%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.90MX$184
$6.69฿220
62.93%
Cappuccino
$4.05MX$68.4
$2.26฿74.2
79.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$28.95
$0.75฿24.61
129.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38MX$23.25
$0.27฿8.93
411.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.47MX$58.5
$1.95฿64.2
77.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.81MX$98.1
$3.17฿104
83.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Saraburi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.85MX$31.28
$1.51฿49.50
22.52%
White Bread(500g)
$3.22MX$54.4
$1.10฿36.03
192.73%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.20
$1.27฿41.70
64.57%
Eggs
$2.91MX$49.10
$2.22฿73.0
31.08%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.49MX$211
$16.49฿542
-24.26%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.11MX$171
$2.75฿90.4
267.64%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.89MX$268
$10.93฿359
45.38%
Apples(1kg)
$3.31MX$56.0
$5.12฿168
-35.35%
Banana(1kg)
$2.13MX$35.90
$1.83฿60.2
16.39%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.19MX$36.97
$2.30฿75.7
-4.78%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.45MX$41.31
$1.78฿58.5
37.64%
Potato(1kg)
$2.19MX$36.95
$1.56฿51.2
40.38%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90MX$32.15
$1.21฿39.79
57.02%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.62MX$27.26
$1.13฿37.21
43.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.35MX$22.78
$0.54฿17.67
150.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.43MX$91.6
$4.38฿144
23.97%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.59MX$297
$21.73฿714
-19.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.07MX$34.90
$1.76฿57.8
17.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.75MX$80.1
$2.97฿97.5
59.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Saraburi
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.34MX$5.74
$0.93฿30.72
-63.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$21.58MX$364
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.04MX$34.44
$1.20฿39.37
70.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58MX$9.75
$1.11฿36.48
-47.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.97MX$101
$3.96฿130
50.76%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.62MX$27.27
$1.38฿45.43
17.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8KMX$385.0K
$24.5K฿804.2K
-6.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7KMX$450.0K
$27.7K฿909.2K
-3.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Saraburi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$65.2MX$1,101
$85.0฿2,793
-23.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.87MX$504
$12.71฿418
135.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.55MX$617
$17.12฿563
113.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Saraburi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.0MX$1,030
$48.72฿1,602
25.21%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.70MX$451
$14.47฿476
84.52%
Cinema Ticket
$6.85MX$116
$6.61฿217
3.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Saraburi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$453MX$7,652
$569฿18.7K
-20.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.4KMX$225.7K
$6,956฿228.6K
92.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Saraburi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.0MX$1,265
$51.8฿1,703
44.70%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.3MX$933
$29.51฿970
87.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114MX$1,917
$76.5฿2,514
48.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123MX$2,070
$77.3฿2,541
58.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Saraburi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,134MX$19.1K
$469฿15.4K
141.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$712MX$12.0K
$129฿4,233
453.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,571MX$43.4K
$1,246฿41.0K
106.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,311MX$22.1K
$714฿23.5K
83.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,993MX$67.4K
$1,989฿65.4K
100.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,095MX$35.4K
$1,635฿53.7K
28.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Saraburi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,047MX$17.7K
$461฿15.2K
127.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.3
5.57
102.87%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026
Last update for Saraburi: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $469 in Saraburi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Mexico City pays 127% 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 $28.00 in Saraburi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $267 per month, with Saraburi 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 Saraburi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Saraburi?
Mexico City and Saraburi differ by about 102% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $815 including rent). Saraburi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Mexico City or Saraburi?
Average pay runs 127% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and in Saraburi?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $469 in Saraburi. 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 Saraburi?
Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $569 in Saraburi. 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 Saraburi – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $815 in Saraburi versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Saraburi but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Saraburi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Saraburi?
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 Saraburi safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Saraburi 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 Saraburi?
Expats usually find Saraburi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared