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: $1,671 in Saint John's versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,722 in Saint John's versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,772 in Saint John's versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Saint John's is roughly 13% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint John's 25% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.82 EC$37.32

$12.98 MX$226

6.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.1 EC$224

$53.1 MX$923

56.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 EC$29.55

$9.72 MX$169

12.55%

Cappuccino

$4.00 EC$10.81

$3.75 MX$65.2

6.67%

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

$2.05 EC$5.53

$1.57 MX$27.30

30.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 EC$2.47

$1.13 MX$19.64

-19.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 EC$4.95

$3.18 MX$55.3

-42.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 EC$11.76

$4.66 MX$81.1

-6.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 EC$6.05

$1.62 MX$28.21

38.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 EC$7.64

$2.71 MX$47.09

4.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 EC$5.12

$1.88 MX$32.70

1.06%

Eggs

$5.35 EC$14.44

$2.51 MX$43.65

113.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 EC$22.25

$10.08 MX$175

-18.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 EC$22.17

$8.29 MX$144

-0.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$208

Apples (1kg)

$6.51 EC$17.57

$2.86 MX$49.77

127.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 EC$6.49

$1.75 MX$30.45

37.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.06 EC$21.77

$2.08 MX$36.27

287.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.21 EC$22.17

$1.97 MX$34.27

316.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 EC$7.78

$2.16 MX$37.58

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 EC$7.92

$2.18 MX$37.94

34.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 EC$7.06

$1.39 MX$24.20

88.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 EC$4.87

$1.12 MX$19.57

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.1

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 EC$24.77

$14.25 MX$248

-35.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 EC$7.24

$1.76 MX$30.68

52.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 EC$10.18

$3.68 MX$64.1

2.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 EC$2.80

$0.39 MX$6.71

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 EC$14.67

$1.39 MX$24.12

290.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.70 EC$15.39

$0.30 MX$5.29

1800.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.66 EC$53.1

$5.42 MX$94.3

262.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 EC$4.72

$1.35 MX$23.50

29.63%

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

$24.1K EC$65.2K

$18.9K MX$328.6K

27.83%

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

$20.7K EC$55.9K

$23.2K MX$402.8K

-10.64%

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

$130 EC$352

$40.82 MX$710

219.50%

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

$40.98 EC$111

$27.50 MX$479

49.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.1 EC$195

$30.38 MX$529

137.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 EC$174

$53.4 MX$930

20.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.92 EC$99.7

$26.30 MX$458

40.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 EC$16.34

$6.27 MX$109

-3.51%

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

$436 MX$7,588

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,831 EC$4,945

$10.5K MX$182.1K

-82.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$988

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$779

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 EC$198

$103 MX$1,789

-28.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 EC$2,992

$1,000 MX$17.4K

10.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$752 EC$2,030

$620 MX$10.8K

21.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 EC$4,442

$2,137 MX$37.2K

-23.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,494 EC$4,035

$1,235 MX$21.5K

20.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,361 EC$3,675

$1,067 MX$18.6K

27.53%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,108 in Saint John's and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint John's pays 28% 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: $83.0 in Saint John's vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $286 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 13% in total monthly costs ($1,671 vs $1,484 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Saint John's pays 28% 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: $1,108 in Saint John's versus $1,000 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 $83.0 in Saint John's. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,671 per month in Saint John's versus $1,484 in Mexico City – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,671 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 13% less than in Saint John's. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.