Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John Island and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John Island and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $5,829 in Saint John Island versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,948 in Saint John Island versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $10.1K in Saint John Island versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Saint John Island is roughly 297% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint John Island 335% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.96 $30.96

$13.18 MX$228

134.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 $147

$53.9 MX$932

173.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 $14.88

$9.42 MX$163

57.96%

Cappuccino

$8.87 $8.87

$3.55 MX$61.4

149.86%

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

$3.55 $3.55

$1.62 MX$27.98

119.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$1.11 MX$19.27

212.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.12 MX$54.0

64.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.63 MX$80.1

48.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.70 MX$29.43

81.18%

White Bread (500g)

$7.88 $7.88

$2.72 MX$47.02

189.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$12.18 $12.18

$1.91 MX$33.07

537.70%

Eggs

$11.90 $11.90

$2.54 MX$43.86

368.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.26 $32.26

$10.03 MX$174

221.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.64 $32.64

$8.09 MX$140

303.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.18 $24.18

$11.62 MX$201

108.09%

Apples (1kg)

$21.87 $21.87

$2.97 MX$51.3

636.36%

Banana (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.81 MX$31.24

125.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$17.54 $17.54

$2.01 MX$34.82

772.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$11.92 $11.92

$2.03 MX$35.20

487.19%

Potato (1kg)

$7.53 $7.53

$2.12 MX$36.75

255.19%

Onion (1kg)

$7.59 $7.59

$2.27 MX$39.25

234.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.88 $4.88

$1.40 MX$24.22

248.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$1.13 MX$19.55

204.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.24 $9.24

$4.27 MX$73.9

116.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.16 $23.16

$15.56 MX$269

48.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.48 $4.48

$1.76 MX$30.39

154.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 $6.04

$3.60 MX$62.2

67.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.12 $7.12

$0.38 MX$6.62

1773.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$151 $151

$19.18 MX$332

685.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$30.30 $30.30

$1.38 MX$23.79

2095.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.30 MX$22.55

21.54%

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

$47.1K $47.1K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

152.10%

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

$53.2K $53.2K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

130.16%

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

$298 $298

$40.86 MX$707

628.32%

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

$100 $100

$26.81 MX$464

273.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 $102

$29.96 MX$518

240.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

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

$436 MX$7,544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 $80.3

$56.7 MX$980

41.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 $50.6

$44.38 MX$768

13.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 $85.7

$103 MX$1,780

-16.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 $99.6

$106 MX$1,825

-5.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,934 $3,934

$1,022 MX$17.7K

284.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,471 $3,471

$631 MX$10.9K

450.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,904 $4,904

$2,136 MX$36.9K

129.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,533 $4,533

$1,243 MX$21.5K

264.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,505 $4,505

$1,115 MX$19.3K

304.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-38.27%

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

Last update for Saint John Island: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,934 in Saint John Island and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint John Island pays 304% 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: $147 in Saint John Island vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $981 vs $288 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 John Island vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint John Island and Mexico City differ by about 297% in total monthly costs ($5,829 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Saint John Island pays 304% 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: $3,934 in Saint John Island versus $1,022 in Mexico City. 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 $147 in Saint John Island. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 685% less than in Saint John Island. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $5,829 in Saint John Island, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Saint John Island. 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, Saint John Island and Mexico City 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 297% less than in Saint John Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.