Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Cloud, MN and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Cloud, MN and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,475 in Saint Cloud, MN versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,534 in Saint Cloud, MN versus $2,342 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,592 in Saint Cloud, MN versus $3,199 in Mexico City.

Living in Saint Cloud, MN is roughly 67% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint Cloud, MN 84% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.32 $18.32

$13.29 MX$231

37.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.2 $66.2

$53.8 MX$933

23.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.74 $8.74

$9.29 MX$161

-5.92%

Cappuccino

$4.70 $4.70

$3.61 MX$62.6

30.19%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$1.56 MX$27.03

73.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.12 MX$19.46

102.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.40 $5.40

$3.13 MX$54.3

72.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 $4.93

$4.71 MX$81.7

4.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.70 MX$29.54

-44.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.77 MX$48.03

-10.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$1.96 MX$34.05

84.69%

Eggs

$3.21 $3.21

$2.60 MX$45.21

23.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 $9.40

$9.94 MX$173

-5.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.65 $7.65

$8.10 MX$141

-5.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.35 $14.35

$11.50 MX$200

24.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.87 MX$49.84

16.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.73 MX$30.07

-31.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.00 MX$34.73

111.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.04 MX$35.38

159.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.08 MX$36.14

32.69%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.20 MX$38.12

42.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.45 MX$25.24

36.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.07 MX$18.63

79.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.30 $10.30

$4.27 MX$74.2

141.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 $11.60

$14.32 MX$249

-18.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.76 MX$30.62

0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.70 MX$64.2

-8.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.35 MX$6.12

485.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.9 $58.9

$19.19 MX$333

207.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 $5.06

$1.34 MX$23.18

277.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.28 MX$4.83

389.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.05 $29.05

$5.33 MX$92.6

445.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.34 MX$23.27

-36.57%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$19.1K MX$332.0K

87.44%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$23.9K MX$414.5K

5.52%

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

$105 $105

$39.86 MX$692

163.45%

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

$48.52 $48.52

$26.78 MX$465

81.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.7 $64.7

$29.36 MX$510

120.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.49 $42.49

$53.4 MX$927

-20.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.09 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$11.80 $11.80

$6.40 MX$111

84.38%

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

$1,443 $1,443

$440 MX$7,647

227.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.9K $29.9K

$10.8K MX$186.6K

178.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.39 $39.39

$57.6 MX$1,000

-31.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.89 $41.89

$45.02 MX$781

-6.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 $75.3

$104 MX$1,801

-27.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.8 $79.8

$108 MX$1,874

-26.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 $1,609

$1,013 MX$17.6K

58.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 $1,340

$630 MX$10.9K

112.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,625 $2,625

$2,162 MX$37.5K

21.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 $2,205

$1,222 MX$21.2K

80.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,040 $2,040

$3,793 MX$65.8K

-46.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,758 $1,758

$2,332 MX$40.5K

-24.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,961 $3,961

$1,075 MX$18.7K

268.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

11.34

-44.44%

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

Last update for Saint Cloud, MN: April 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,609 in Saint Cloud, MN and $1,013 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Cloud, MN pays 269% 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: $66 in Saint Cloud, MN vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 vs $285 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

Saint Cloud, MN vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Cloud, MN and Mexico City differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($2,475 vs $1,484 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Saint Cloud, MN pays 269% more on average, 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: $1,609 in Saint Cloud, MN versus $1,013 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 207% less than in Saint Cloud, MN. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,443 in Saint Cloud, MN versus $440 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,475 in Saint Cloud, MN, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Saint Cloud, MN. 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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Saint Cloud, MN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.