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: $2,433 in Saint Louis, MO versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,689 in Saint Louis, MO versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,945 in Saint Louis, MO versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Saint Louis, MO is roughly 47% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint Louis, MO 78% above, Mexico City 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.03 $18.03

$11.92 MX$205

51.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.0 $78.0

$51.6 MX$886

51.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 $11.97

$11.41 MX$196

4.91%

Cappuccino

$5.14 $5.14

$3.99 MX$68.6

28.82%

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

$2.46 $2.46

$1.66 MX$28.48

48.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.33 MX$22.77

27.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$3.47 MX$59.6

68.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 $7.10

$5.90 MX$101

20.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.88 MX$32.21

-31.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 $3.83

$3.25 MX$55.9

17.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$2.16 MX$37.10

163.89%

Eggs

$3.99 $3.99

$2.90 MX$49.72

37.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.36 $13.36

$12.86 MX$221

3.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.51 $15.51

$10.05 MX$173

54.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.56 $20.56

$15.86 MX$272

29.63%

Apples (1kg)

$8.55 $8.55

$3.29 MX$56.6

159.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.01 MX$34.44

17.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.69 $5.69

$2.20 MX$37.76

158.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$2.36 MX$40.44

124.15%

Potato (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.05 MX$35.27

109.76%

Onion (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$1.90 MX$32.64

157.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.61 MX$27.55

80.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.40 MX$23.98

102.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 $8.04

$5.46 MX$93.8

47.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.82 $14.82

$17.65 MX$303

-16.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.06 MX$35.28

40.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 $3.34

$4.68 MX$80.4

-28.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 $2.53

$0.34 MX$5.81

644.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.8 $78.8

$20.81 MX$357

278.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.10 MX$35.99

61.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$0.56 MX$9.60

183.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.34 $40.34

$5.81 MX$99.8

594.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.61 MX$27.56

-42.24%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$22.8K MX$392.1K

51.74%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$26.8K MX$459.2K

-7.23%

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

$246 $246

$65.2 MX$1,119

277.08%

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

$70.2 $70.2

$30.09 MX$517

133.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.9 $74.9

$37.18 MX$638

101.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.06 $32.06

$59.8 MX$1,026

-46.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 $19.91

$26.55 MX$456

-25.01%

Cinema Ticket

$14.14 $14.14

$7.04 MX$121

100.85%

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

$1,390 $1,390

$465 MX$7,976

199.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$13.3K MX$227.8K

79.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 $58.0

$75.9 MX$1,303

-23.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.00 $43.00

$56.0 MX$960

-23.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 $88.4

$112 MX$1,920

-20.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$121 MX$2,068

-3.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,532 $1,532

$1,103 MX$18.9K

39.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$930 $930

$721 MX$12.4K

29.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,052 $2,052

$2,530 MX$43.4K

-18.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,694 $1,694

$1,293 MX$22.2K

31.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,368 $1,368

$3,991 MX$68.5K

-65.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,813 $1,813

$2,090 MX$35.9K

-13.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,265 $4,265

$1,037 MX$17.8K

311.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.09

11.3

-46.11%

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

Last update for Saint Louis, MO: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,532 in Saint Louis, MO and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Louis, MO pays 311% 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: $78.0 in Saint Louis, MO vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $495 vs $345 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 47% in total monthly costs ($2,433 vs $1,660 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 311% 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: $1,532 in Saint Louis, MO versus $1,103 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 278% less than in Saint Louis, MO. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,390 in Saint Louis, MO versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,433 in Saint Louis, MO, a $3,000 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 47% less than in Saint Louis, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.