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: $5,712 in Saint John Island versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,781 in Saint John Island versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,850 in Saint John Island versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Saint John Island is roughly 292% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint John Island 328% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.58 $31.58

$13.07 MX$229

141.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 $149

$53.8 MX$940

176.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.14 $15.14

$9.68 MX$169

56.40%

Cappuccino

$8.98 $8.98

$3.74 MX$65.4

140.11%

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

$3.49 $3.49

$1.62 MX$28.25

115.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.16 MX$20.31

200.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$3.23 MX$56.4

57.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 $6.84

$4.74 MX$82.9

44.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.65 MX$28.80

87.27%

White Bread (500g)

$7.95 $7.95

$2.75 MX$48.15

189.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$11.83 $11.83

$1.87 MX$32.77

532.62%

Eggs

$11.80 $11.80

$2.50 MX$43.72

372.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.60 $32.60

$10.20 MX$178

219.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.88 $32.88

$8.25 MX$144

298.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.82 $23.82

$11.82 MX$207

101.52%

Apples (1kg)

$22.12 $22.12

$3.01 MX$52.6

634.88%

Banana (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.81 MX$31.67

124.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$17.56 $17.56

$2.00 MX$34.96

778.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$2.00 MX$34.89

490.00%

Potato (1kg)

$7.55 $7.55

$2.08 MX$36.45

262.98%

Onion (1kg)

$7.54 $7.54

$2.27 MX$39.72

232.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.92 $4.92

$1.46 MX$25.47

236.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.08 MX$18.82

216.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.17 $9.17

$4.35 MX$76.0

110.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.45 $23.45

$16.99 MX$297

38.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.41 $4.41

$1.73 MX$30.31

154.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.58 MX$62.5

71.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.98 $6.98

$0.39 MX$6.77

1689.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$147 $147

$18.69 MX$327

687.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$30.37 $30.37

$1.33 MX$23.18

2183.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.89

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.34 MX$23.37

15.67%

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

$47.3K $47.3K

$19.4K MX$339.4K

143.83%

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

$52.0K $52.0K

$23.8K MX$416.7K

118.22%

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

$296 $296

$40.69 MX$712

626.62%

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

$101 $101

$26.87 MX$470

274.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 $102

$30.51 MX$534

233.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$923

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

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

$428 MX$7,485

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.4 $79.4

$57.3 MX$1,001

38.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.85 $49.85

$45.50 MX$796

9.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 $84.2

$104 MX$1,819

-19.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 $99.5

$108 MX$1,885

-7.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,935 $3,935

$1,003 MX$17.5K

292.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,468 $3,468

$623 MX$10.9K

456.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,992 $4,992

$2,109 MX$36.9K

136.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,538 $4,538

$1,218 MX$21.3K

272.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,537 $4,537

$1,038 MX$18.1K

337.22%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,935 in Saint John Island and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint John Island pays 337% 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: $149 in Saint John Island vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $982 vs $292 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 292% in total monthly costs ($5,712 vs $1,456 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 337% higher in Saint John Island, 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: $3,935 in Saint John Island versus $1,003 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 $149 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 688% less than in Saint John Island. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $5,712 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 292% less than in Saint John Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.