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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,488 in Saint Louis, MO versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,733 in Saint Louis, MO versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,978 in Saint Louis, MO versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Saint Louis, MO is roughly 71% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint Louis, MO 86% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.98 $24.98

$13.07 MX$228

91.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 $70.4

$53.8 MX$936

31.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.80 $10.80

$9.68 MX$169

11.57%

Cappuccino

$4.87 $4.87

$3.74 MX$65.1

30.21%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$1.62 MX$28.13

47.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.16 MX$20.23

62.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.36 $5.36

$3.23 MX$56.2

65.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 $5.83

$4.74 MX$82.5

23.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.65 MX$28.68

-42.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.75 MX$47.95

4.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$1.87 MX$32.63

197.33%

Eggs

$2.94 $2.94

$2.50 MX$43.54

17.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.98 $13.98

$10.20 MX$178

37.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.03 $12.03

$8.25 MX$144

45.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.39 $16.39

$11.82 MX$206

38.66%

Apples (1kg)

$7.16 $7.16

$3.01 MX$52.4

137.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.81 MX$31.54

25.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$2.00 MX$34.81

181.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.00 MX$34.74

103.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.08 MX$36.30

90.87%

Onion (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.27 MX$39.56

78.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.46 MX$25.36

64.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.08 MX$18.74

124.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.63 $7.63

$4.35 MX$75.7

75.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$16.99 MX$296

-10.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.73 MX$30.18

24.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.58 MX$62.3

10.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 $2.53

$0.39 MX$6.74

548.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.6 $78.6

$18.69 MX$325

320.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 $3.52

$1.33 MX$23.08

164.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$0.28 MX$4.87

457.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.90 $39.90

$5.25 MX$91.5

660.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.34 MX$23.27

-37.31%

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

$32.0K $32.0K

$19.4K MX$338.0K

64.73%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$23.8K MX$415.0K

9.66%

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

$246 $246

$40.69 MX$709

503.42%

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

$52.5 $52.5

$26.87 MX$468

95.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$30.51 MX$531

128.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.28 $27.28

$52.8 MX$919

-48.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.35 $20.35

$26.65 MX$464

-23.64%

Cinema Ticket

$12.91 $12.91

$6.51 MX$113

98.31%

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

$1,305 $1,305

$428 MX$7,454

204.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$10.5K MX$182.8K

131.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 $50.5

$57.3 MX$997

-11.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.06 $41.06

$45.50 MX$792

-9.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 $90.0

$104 MX$1,812

-13.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$108 MX$1,878

12.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,415 $1,415

$1,003 MX$17.5K

41.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 $1,027

$623 MX$10.8K

64.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,368 $2,368

$2,109 MX$36.7K

12.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,937 $1,937

$1,218 MX$21.2K

59.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,367 $1,367

$3,885 MX$67.6K

-64.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,823 $1,823

$2,033 MX$35.4K

-10.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,252 $4,252

$1,038 MX$18.1K

309.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

11.34

-42.77%

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

Last update for Saint Louis, MO: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,415 in Saint Louis, MO and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Louis, MO pays 310% 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: $70.0 in Saint Louis, MO vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $424 vs $292 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 Louis, MO vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Louis, MO and Mexico City differ by about 71% in total monthly costs ($2,488 vs $1,456 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 310% higher in Saint Louis, 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: $1,415 in Saint Louis, MO versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 321% less than in Saint Louis, MO. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,305 in Saint Louis, MO versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $2,488 in Saint Louis, MO, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Saint Louis, MO. 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 71% less than in Saint Louis, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.