Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and St John Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and St John

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,466 in Mexico City versus $3,153 in St John.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,325 in Mexico City versus $4,797 in St John.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,184 in Mexico City versus $6,442 in St John.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 54% less than in St John, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, St John 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 MX$231

$17.21 $17.21

-22.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$932

$163 $163

-67.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$8.37 $8.37

12.54%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$6.48 $6.48

-44.60%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$3.01 $3.01

-46.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$2.06 $2.06

-45.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$6.34 $6.34

-48.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 MX$80.6

$7.03 $7.03

-33.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$2.89 $2.89

-43.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$46.00

$5.63 $5.63

-52.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.99

$1.51 $1.51

29.80%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.08

$6.58 $6.58

-61.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 MX$173

$17.69 $17.69

-43.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 MX$145

$26.27 $26.27

-68.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 MX$205

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.62

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.05

$5.10 $5.10

-66.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.50

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.51

$9.03 $9.03

-77.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 MX$39.54

$4.39 $4.39

-48.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.05

$4.85 $4.85

-70.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 MX$254

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MX$61.8

$6.04 $6.04

-40.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.67

$5.82 $5.82

-93.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

$139 $139

-86.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.09

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.26

$3.06 $3.06

-90.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$93.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.22

$1.61 $1.61

-16.77%

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

$18.9K MX$326.7K

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

$23.2K MX$402.0K

$22.6K $22.6K

2.57%

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

$40.30 MX$698

$249 $249

-83.83%

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

$27.15 MX$471

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$510

$59.9 $59.9

-50.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 MX$914

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$107

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

$441 MX$7,637

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.4K

$13.7K $13.7K

-22.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 MX$992

$98.9 $98.9

-42.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.04 MX$781

$60.4 $60.4

-25.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,793

$50.1 $50.1

106.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,884

$50.2 $50.2

116.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.3K

$2,179 $2,179

-54.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 MX$11.0K

$1,816 $1,816

-65.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 MX$21.7K

$3,020 $3,020

-58.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 MX$64.9K

$13.1K $13.1K

-71.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,381 MX$41.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.7K

$4,059 $4,059

-73.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

7.05

60.85%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Last update for St John: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $2,179 in St John. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St John pays 276% 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 in Mexico City vs $163 in St John for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $418 per month, with Mexico City 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 St John: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and St John differ by about 115% in total monthly costs ($1,466 vs $3,153 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, St John earns 276% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $2,179 in St John. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $163 in St John. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 642% less than in St John. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,466 in Mexico City versus $3,153 in St John, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in St John. 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and St John 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in St John. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.