Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and St. Thomas, Canada

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,608 a month against $2,436 in St. Thomas, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
St. Thomas, Canada
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
St. Thomas
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,436
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in St. Thomas

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in St. Thomas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,608 in Mexico City versus $2,436 in St. Thomas.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • St. Thomas $2,436

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Mexico City versus $3,399 in St. Thomas.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • St. Thomas $3,399

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,490 in Mexico City versus $4,363 in St. Thomas.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • St. Thomas $4,363

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 34% less than in St. Thomas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 18% above, St. Thomas 79% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
St. Thomas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$199
$21.56 CA$30.13
-50.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$908
$63.6 CA$88.9
-24.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$194
$11.22 CA$15.67
-7.75%
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$69.3
$3.45 CA$4.82
6.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.29
$2.11 CA$2.95
-20.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.76
$1.63 CA$2.28
-22.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$59.9
$4.85 CA$6.77
-34.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$99.6
$6.15 CA$8.59
-13.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
St. Thomas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.38
$2.22 CA$3.10
-22.52%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$57.1
$2.76 CA$3.85
10.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.44
$3.78 CA$5.28
-48.68%
Eggs
$2.89 MX$54.2
$3.27 CA$4.57
-11.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$206
$10.05 CA$14.04
9.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$174
$15.80 CA$22.07
-41.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$284
$19.72 CA$27.56
-23.28%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$57.2
$4.10 CA$5.73
-25.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.45
$1.28 CA$1.78
51.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$38.02
$3.65 CA$5.10
-44.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.46
$4.06 CA$5.68
-43.10%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$38.21
$3.30 CA$4.61
-38.18%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.79
$3.06 CA$4.27
-41.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.77
$2.87 CA$4.01
-48.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.80
$1.55 CA$2.17
-18.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$99.6
$11.23 CA$15.70
-52.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$302
$12.51 CA$17.48
28.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$37.23
$2.52 CA$3.52
-21.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.8
$2.91 CA$4.06
46.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
St. Thomas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.73
$2.19 CA$3.06
-85.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$371
$68.2 CA$95.2
-71.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.50
$2.38 CA$3.32
-22.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$10.02
$1.66 CA$2.32
-68.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$99.4
$22.83 CA$31.91
-76.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.36
$1.17 CA$1.64
29.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$408.4K
$27.0K CA$37.8K
-19.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$450.3K
$23.1K CA$32.2K
4.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
St. Thomas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,182
$126 CA$176
-49.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$514
$42.99 CA$60.1
-36.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$670
$57.4 CA$80.2
-37.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
St. Thomas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,107
$39.32 CA$55.0
49.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$444
$17.06 CA$23.84
38.57%
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$120
$10.65 CA$14.88
-39.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
St. Thomas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,103
$421 CA$588
2.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$214.5K
$17.3K CA$24.2K
-34.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
St. Thomas
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,281
$53.9 CA$75.4
26.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$997
$36.85 CA$51.5
44.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,023
$82.4 CA$115
30.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,202
$90.4 CA$126
29.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
St. Thomas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.9K
$1,163 CA$1,625
-4.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.3K
$1,245 CA$1,740
-42.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.6K
$2,276 CA$3,180
13.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.4K
$1,659 CA$2,319
-15.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$68.2K
$4,403 CA$6,152
-17.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$40.1K
$3,575 CA$4,996
-40.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
St. Thomas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.8K
$3,004 CA$4,197
-68.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
4.99
127.45%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for St. Thomas: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
St. Thomas
$1.2K 75.3% $535
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
St. Thomas
$399 24.8% $79
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
St. Thomas
$299 50.6% $100
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
St. Thomas
$119 23.9% $37
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
St. Thomas
$226 79.5% $100
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
St. Thomas
$61 15.5% $11
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
St. Thomas
$88 244% $62

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,113 in Mexico City and $1,163 in St. Thomas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St. Thomas pays about 3.2 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $48 in Mexico City vs $64 in St. Thomas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $399 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇨🇦 St. Thomas
🕒 Local time
15:16 3:16 PM
16:16 4:16 PM
1 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
38,909
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City St. Thomas 3,090 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • St. Thomas

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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. Thomas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in St. Thomas?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,608 in Mexico City and $2,436 in St. Thomas, so Mexico City is about 34% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 68% lower in Mexico City. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and in St. Thomas?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,113 in Mexico City versus $1,163 in St. Thomas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and in St. Thomas?
A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 71% less than in St. Thomas. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and St. Thomas?
Childcare runs $432 in Mexico City versus $421 in St. Thomas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How far does $3,000 go in Mexico City compared to St. Thomas?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Mexico City gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and St. Thomas?
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.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or St. Thomas?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in St. Thomas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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