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: $1,867 in Saint Joseph, MI versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,999 in Saint Joseph, MI versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,131 in Saint Joseph, MI versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint Joseph, MI 35% above, Mexico City 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.21 $14.21

$12.14 MX$206

17.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.3 $75.3

$53.9 MX$914

39.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 $9.14

$11.09 MX$188

-17.58%

Cappuccino

$4.23 $4.23

$4.10 MX$69.5

3.17%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$1.68 MX$28.53

42.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.39 MX$23.55

15.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.33 MX$56.5

17.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.35 $5.35

$5.88 MX$99.7

-9.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.85 MX$31.41

-55.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.17 MX$53.8

-11.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.07 MX$35.13

35.75%

Eggs

$3.46 $3.46

$2.93 MX$49.67

18.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.59 $7.59

$12.59 MX$214

-39.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.59 $10.59

$10.11 MX$172

4.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.35 $8.35

$16.09 MX$273

-48.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$3.39 MX$57.5

66.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.08 MX$35.26

-18.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.12 MX$35.97

64.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$2.41 MX$40.95

121.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.13 MX$36.11

-18.78%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.01 MX$34.02

64.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.55 MX$26.21

9.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.36 MX$23.15

83.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.87 $11.87

$5.77 MX$97.8

105.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$17.74 MX$301

-54.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.07 MX$35.11

-16.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$4.61 MX$78.3

-24.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 $1.81

$0.37 MX$6.21

389.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.05 MX$34.84

43.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$0.58 MX$9.79

191.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.86 $26.86

$6.07 MX$103

342.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.55 MX$26.34

-44.52%

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

$23.6K $23.6K

$22.9K MX$388.1K

2.96%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$27.2K MX$462.0K

-5.33%

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

$173 $173

$67.4 MX$1,144

156.91%

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

$50.8 $50.8

$30.62 MX$520

65.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 $50.7

$37.24 MX$632

36.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.43 $42.43

$61.5 MX$1,043

-30.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$10.59 $10.59

$7.11 MX$121

48.95%

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

$960 $960

$456 MX$7,739

110.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.4K $24.4K

$13.7K MX$232.3K

78.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.05 $40.05

$74.2 MX$1,259

-46.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.15 $49.15

$57.0 MX$967

-13.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 $73.8

$115 MX$1,958

-36.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 $74.0

$122 MX$2,061

-39.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 $1,054

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-8.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 $829

$709 MX$12.0K

16.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,880 $1,880

$2,577 MX$43.7K

-27.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,797 $1,797

$1,295 MX$22.0K

38.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,951 $2,951

$4,005 MX$67.9K

-26.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,129 $2,129

$2,130 MX$36.1K

-0.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,707 $4,707

$1,082 MX$18.4K

335.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

11.3

-47.79%

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

Last update for Saint Joseph, MI: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,054 in Saint Joseph, MI and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Joseph, MI pays 335% 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: $75.0 in Saint Joseph, MI vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $321 vs $345, with Saint Joseph, MI cheaper for home cooking.

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 11% in total monthly costs ($1,867 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 335% higher in Saint Joseph, MI, 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: $1,054 in Saint Joseph, MI versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $960 in Saint Joseph, MI versus $456 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 $75.0 in Saint Joseph, MI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,867 in Saint Joseph, MI, a $3,000 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 11% less than in Saint Joseph, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.