Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sterling Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sterling

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,668 in Mexico City versus $2,674 in Sterling.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $4,175 in Sterling.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,557 in Mexico City versus $5,675 in Sterling.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 38% less than in Sterling, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 24% above, Sterling 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.03 MX$216

$13.59 $13.59

-11.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 MX$949

$75.2 $75.2

-29.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 MX$210

$10.34 $10.34

13.06%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$69.6

$6.04 $6.04

-35.93%

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

$1.75 MX$31.45

$2.81 $2.81

-37.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$25.06

$2.52 $2.52

-44.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 MX$60.4

$5.35 $5.35

-37.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MX$104

$7.78 $7.78

-25.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$32.45

$1.11 $1.11

63.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$55.4

$4.09 $4.09

-24.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 MX$38.27

$5.32 $5.32

-59.96%

Eggs

$2.98 MX$53.5

$5.39 $5.39

-44.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 MX$225

$16.85 $16.85

-25.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 MX$184

$14.81 $14.81

-30.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 MX$286

$19.09 $19.09

-16.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$60.8

$4.77 $4.77

-28.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 MX$37.85

$1.73 $1.73

21.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$38.22

$6.11 $6.11

-65.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$44.33

$5.17 $5.17

-52.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$36.62

$2.99 $2.99

-31.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.18

$2.35 $2.35

-14.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MX$28.61

$2.10 $2.10

-24.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.89

$2.80 $2.80

-52.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 MX$98.6

$9.82 $9.82

-44.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 MX$315

$14.28 $14.28

22.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$36.20

$1.76 $1.76

14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$85.2

$5.17 $5.17

-8.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.03

$5.03 $5.03

-93.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$379

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$36.88

$2.98 $2.98

-31.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.93

$1.43 $1.43

-57.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 MX$102

$22.92 $22.92

-75.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$28.56

$0.96 $0.96

65.63%

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

$22.9K MX$411.3K

$22.6K $22.6K

1.33%

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

$26.4K MX$473.9K

$22.9K $22.9K

15.18%

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

$64.2 MX$1,154

$96.1 $96.1

-33.16%

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

$29.42 MX$529

$49.28 $49.28

-40.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MX$662

$72.6 $72.6

-49.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 MX$1,055

$29.01 $29.01

102.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$477

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 MX$125

$17.26 $17.26

-59.73%

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

$463 MX$8,316

$1,882 $1,882

-75.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$240.1K

$32.8K $32.8K

-59.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 MX$1,355

$47.63 $47.63

58.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MX$974

$45.35 $45.35

19.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,997

$87.6 $87.6

26.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,195

$91.7 $91.7

33.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 MX$20.4K

$1,242 $1,242

-8.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 MX$12.5K

$1,527 $1,527

-54.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 MX$43.9K

$2,010 $2,010

21.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 MX$23.4K

$2,857 $2,857

-54.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,910 MX$70.2K

$3,255 $3,255

20.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$37.2K

$2,393 $2,393

-13.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.9K

$3,782 $3,782

-72.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.34

78.23%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Last update for Sterling: September 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,133 in Mexico City and $1,242 in Sterling. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sterling pays 260% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $75.0 in Sterling for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 vs $465 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 Sterling: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Sterling differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,668 vs $2,674 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 260% lower in Sterling. 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: $1,133 in Mexico City versus $1,242 in Sterling. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $463 in Mexico City versus $1,882 in Sterling. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $75.0 in Sterling. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,668 in Mexico City versus $2,674 in Sterling, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Sterling. 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 Sterling 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 60% less than in Sterling. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.