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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,634 in Saint Joseph, MO versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,515 in Saint Joseph, MO versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,396 in Saint Joseph, MO versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Saint Joseph, MO costs roughly 1% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint Joseph, MO 19% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.71 $19.71

$12.11 MX$204

62.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 $50.5

$52.2 MX$881

-3.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.78 $10.78

$10.90 MX$184

-1.10%

Cappuccino

$4.91 $4.91

$4.05 MX$68.4

21.23%

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

$2.13 $2.13

$1.72 MX$28.95

23.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.38 MX$23.25

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$3.47 MX$58.5

44.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 $7.35

$5.81 MX$98.1

26.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.85 MX$31.28

-58.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.22 MX$54.4

-4.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$2.09 MX$35.20

194.74%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$2.91 MX$49.10

56.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.68 $11.68

$12.49 MX$211

-6.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$10.11 MX$171

-55.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.65 $14.65

$15.89 MX$268

-7.80%

Apples (1kg)

$6.93 $6.93

$3.31 MX$56.0

109.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.13 MX$35.90

7.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$2.19 MX$36.97

163.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.45 MX$41.31

78.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.19 MX$36.95

41.10%

Onion (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$1.90 MX$32.15

92.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.62 MX$27.26

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.35 MX$22.78

88.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.71 $9.71

$5.43 MX$91.6

78.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$17.59 MX$297

-55.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.07 MX$34.90

-9.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$4.75 MX$80.1

-45.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.04 MX$34.44

148.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.58 MX$9.75

229.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.58 $34.58

$5.97 MX$101

479.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.62 MX$27.27

-44.44%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

56.25%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.7K MX$450.0K

-3.72%

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

$123 $123

$65.2 MX$1,101

88.38%

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

$51.6 $51.6

$29.87 MX$504

72.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.6 $65.6

$36.55 MX$617

79.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$14.72 $14.72

$6.85 MX$116

114.89%

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

$820 $820

$453 MX$7,652

80.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$225.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 $50.7

$75.0 MX$1,265

-32.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.49 $34.49

$55.3 MX$933

-37.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 $90.4

$114 MX$1,917

-20.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$123 MX$2,070

3.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 $622

$1,134 MX$19.1K

-45.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$520 $520

$712 MX$12.0K

-26.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 $1,111

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-56.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,001 $1,001

$1,311 MX$22.1K

-23.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,651 $2,651

$1,047 MX$17.7K

153.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.89

11.3

-47.88%

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

Last update for Saint Joseph, MO: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $622 in Saint Joseph, MO and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Joseph, MO pays 153% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $50.0 in Saint Joseph, MO vs $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $361 vs $345, with Mexico City 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, MO vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Joseph, MO and Mexico City differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,634 vs $1,646 including rent). Saint Joseph, MO is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 153% higher in Saint Joseph, MO, 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: $622 in Saint Joseph, MO versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $820 in Saint Joseph, MO versus $453 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 Saint Joseph, MO – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,634 in Saint Joseph, MO versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Saint Joseph, MO but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Saint Joseph, MO 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 Saint Joseph, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.