Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Joseph, MI and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Joseph, MI and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,942 in Saint Joseph, MI versus $1,466 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,037 in Saint Joseph, MI versus $2,325 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,132 in Saint Joseph, MI versus $3,184 in Mexico City.

Living in Saint Joseph, MI is roughly 33% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint Joseph, MI 45% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.03 $16.03

$13.30 MX$231

20.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 $60.8

$53.8 MX$932

12.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 $9.24

$9.42 MX$163

-1.91%

Cappuccino

$4.08 $4.08

$3.59 MX$62.3

13.65%

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

$2.36 $2.36

$1.62 MX$28.13

45.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.12 MX$19.49

44.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 $4.08

$3.25 MX$56.3

25.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.58 $5.58

$4.65 MX$80.6

20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.64 MX$28.37

-53.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.65 MX$46.00

13.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$1.96 MX$33.99

151.02%

Eggs

$3.97 $3.97

$2.54 MX$44.08

56.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 $10.97

$9.97 MX$173

10.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.51 $10.51

$8.39 MX$145

25.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 $8.61

$11.83 MX$205

-27.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$2.86 MX$49.62

90.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.73 MX$30.05

-30.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$1.99 MX$34.50

168.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$2.05 MX$35.51

164.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.06 MX$35.64

79.61%

Onion (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.28 MX$39.54

98.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.45 MX$25.05

39.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.09 MX$18.83

35.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.47 $8.47

$4.27 MX$73.9

98.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$14.67 MX$254

-45.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.76 MX$30.58

0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.57 MX$61.8

4.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.38 MX$6.67

428.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 $5.07

$1.39 MX$24.09

264.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$0.30 MX$5.26

420.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.70 $49.70

$5.41 MX$93.8

818.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.34 MX$23.22

-36.57%

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

$23.6K $23.6K

$18.9K MX$326.7K

24.98%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$23.2K MX$402.0K

29.91%

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

$191 $191

$40.30 MX$698

373.67%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$27.15 MX$471

110.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 $70.0

$29.46 MX$510

137.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.52 $39.52

$52.7 MX$914

-25.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 $10.34

$6.18 MX$107

67.31%

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

$933 $933

$441 MX$7,637

111.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$10.7K MX$185.4K

120.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.07 $40.07

$57.2 MX$992

-30.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.32 $48.32

$45.04 MX$781

7.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 $74.0

$103 MX$1,793

-28.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.7 $75.7

$109 MX$1,884

-30.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 $1,065

$1,000 MX$17.3K

6.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$839 $839

$632 MX$11.0K

32.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,919 $1,919

$2,141 MX$37.1K

-10.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,774 $1,774

$1,253 MX$21.7K

41.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,745 $2,745

$3,745 MX$64.9K

-26.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,639 $2,639

$2,381 MX$41.3K

10.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,798 $4,798

$1,079 MX$18.7K

344.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

11.34

-47.97%

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

Last update for Saint Joseph, MI: April 22, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,065 in Saint Joseph, MI and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Joseph, MI pays 345% 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: $61 in Saint Joseph, MI vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 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 Joseph, MI vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Joseph, MI and Mexico City differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,942 vs $1,466 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Saint Joseph, MI pays 345% 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: $1,065 in Saint Joseph, MI versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $933 in Saint Joseph, MI versus $441 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $61.0 in Saint Joseph, MI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,466 in Mexico City versus $1,942 in Saint Joseph, MI, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Saint Joseph, MI. 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.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Saint Joseph, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.