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: $1,710 in Saint John's versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,733 in Saint John's versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,757 in Saint John's versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Saint John's is roughly 18% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint John's 27% above, Mexico City 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.01 EC$37.84

$12.98 MX$223

7.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 EC$221

$52.6 MX$903

55.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 EC$30.56

$9.43 MX$162

20.04%

Cappuccino

$4.05 EC$10.93

$3.57 MX$61.3

13.45%

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

$2.05 EC$5.53

$1.61 MX$27.55

27.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 EC$2.63

$1.15 MX$19.81

-14.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 EC$5.13

$3.15 MX$54.0

-39.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 EC$12.27

$4.86 MX$83.4

-6.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 EC$5.86

$1.70 MX$29.17

27.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 EC$7.54

$2.64 MX$45.23

5.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 EC$4.85

$1.90 MX$32.67

-5.79%

Eggs

$5.31 EC$14.35

$2.54 MX$43.62

109.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 EC$21.55

$10.08 MX$173

-20.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 EC$22.44

$8.29 MX$142

0.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

Apples (1kg)

$6.62 EC$17.86

$3.03 MX$52.0

118.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 EC$6.75

$1.71 MX$29.35

46.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.33 EC$22.49

$2.05 MX$35.16

306.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.12 EC$21.93

$2.06 MX$35.36

294.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 EC$7.79

$2.06 MX$35.43

40.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 EC$7.86

$2.17 MX$37.25

34.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 EC$6.85

$1.40 MX$24.08

81.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 EC$4.93

$1.12 MX$19.26

63.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

Wine (Bottle)

$9.24 EC$24.94

$15.41 MX$265

-40.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 EC$7.28

$1.67 MX$28.74

61.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 EC$9.91

$3.69 MX$63.3

-0.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 EC$2.79

$0.38 MX$6.55

171.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 EC$15.26

$1.38 MX$23.70

309.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.73 EC$15.46

$0.28 MX$4.74

1946.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.20 EC$54.6

$5.42 MX$92.9

272.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 EC$4.71

$1.28 MX$21.98

35.94%

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

$23.3K EC$63.0K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

22.93%

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

$20.8K EC$56.0K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

-11.54%

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

$129 EC$348

$41.02 MX$704

214.33%

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

$39.94 EC$108

$26.92 MX$462

48.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 EC$197

$29.69 MX$510

145.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 EC$172

$52.3 MX$898

21.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.27 EC$101

$26.23 MX$450

42.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.22 EC$16.78

$6.18 MX$106

0.65%

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

$427 MX$7,331

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,851 EC$4,997

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-82.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 EC$198

$105 MX$1,794

-29.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 EC$3,039

$995 MX$17.1K

13.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$754 EC$2,036

$621 MX$10.7K

21.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,639 EC$4,425

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-22.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,498 EC$4,046

$1,254 MX$21.5K

19.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,381 EC$3,729

$1,107 MX$19.0K

24.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

11.34

-51.50%

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

Last update for Saint John's: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,126 in Saint John's and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint John's pays 25% 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: $82.0 in Saint John's vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 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's vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint John's and Mexico City differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,710 vs $1,447 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Saint John's pays 25% 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: $1,126 in Saint John's versus $995 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 $53.0 versus $82.0 in Saint John's. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,710 per month in Saint John's versus $1,447 in Mexico City – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,710 in Saint John's, a $2,000 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 18% less than in Saint John's. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.