Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John's and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John's and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,857 in Saint John's versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,872 in Saint John's versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,887 in Saint John's versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Saint John's is roughly 11% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint John's 35% above, Mexico City 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.01 EC$59.4

$12.14 MX$206

81.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 EC$200

$53.9 MX$914

37.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 EC$29.48

$11.09 MX$188

-1.53%

Cappuccino

$3.78 EC$10.20

$4.10 MX$69.5

-7.80%

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

$1.97 EC$5.32

$1.68 MX$28.53

17.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 EC$2.43

$1.39 MX$23.55

-35.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 EC$4.92

$3.33 MX$56.5

-45.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 EC$12.30

$5.88 MX$99.7

-22.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 EC$6.07

$1.85 MX$31.41

21.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 EC$7.43

$3.17 MX$53.8

-13.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 EC$5.12

$2.07 MX$35.13

-8.21%

Eggs

$6.78 EC$18.30

$2.93 MX$49.67

131.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.06 EC$21.77

$12.59 MX$214

-35.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.32 EC$22.47

$10.11 MX$172

-17.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 EC$18.06

$3.39 MX$57.5

97.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 EC$6.80

$2.08 MX$35.26

21.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.28 EC$22.35

$2.12 MX$35.97

290.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.11 EC$21.90

$2.41 MX$40.95

236.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 EC$7.68

$2.13 MX$36.11

33.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 EC$7.76

$2.01 MX$34.02

42.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 EC$6.79

$1.55 MX$26.21

61.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 EC$4.29

$1.36 MX$23.15

16.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

Wine (Bottle)

$5.60 EC$15.12

$17.74 MX$301

-68.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 EC$7.78

$2.07 MX$35.11

39.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 EC$11.67

$4.61 MX$78.3

-6.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 EC$4.40

$1.55 MX$26.34

5.16%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

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

$256 EC$690

$67.4 MX$1,144

279.26%

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

$41.37 EC$112

$30.62 MX$520

35.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.0 EC$221

$37.24 MX$632

120.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 EC$177

$61.5 MX$1,043

6.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 EC$16.73

$7.11 MX$121

-12.80%

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

$456 MX$7,739

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,836 EC$4,956

$13.7K MX$232.3K

-86.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 EC$136

$74.2 MX$1,259

-32.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 EC$196

$115 MX$1,958

-36.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 EC$2,849

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-8.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$679 EC$1,834

$709 MX$12.0K

-4.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,670 EC$4,510

$2,577 MX$43.7K

-35.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 EC$3,966

$1,295 MX$22.0K

13.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,366 EC$3,688

$1,082 MX$18.4K

26.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

11.3

-51.33%

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

Last update for Saint John's: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,055 in Saint John's and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint John's pays 26% 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: $74.0 in Saint John's vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $345 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's vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint John's and Mexico City differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,857 vs $1,677 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Saint John's, 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: $1,055 in Saint John's versus $1,148 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 $74.0 in Saint John's. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,857 per month in Saint John's versus $1,677 in Mexico City – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,857 in Saint John's, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Saint John's. 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's 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 11% less than in Saint John's. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.