Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Paul, MN and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Paul, MN and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,405 in Saint Paul, MN versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,753 in Saint Paul, MN versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,100 in Saint Paul, MN versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Saint Paul, MN is roughly 65% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint Paul, MN 80% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.76 $17.76

$13.07 MX$229

35.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.2 $66.2

$53.8 MX$940

23.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 $9.82

$9.68 MX$169

1.45%

Cappuccino

$5.05 $5.05

$3.74 MX$65.4

35.03%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$1.62 MX$28.25

71.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.16 MX$20.31

105.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 $5.88

$3.23 MX$56.4

82.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$4.74 MX$82.9

44.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.65 MX$28.80

-36.97%

White Bread (500g)

$4.18 $4.18

$2.75 MX$48.15

52.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$1.87 MX$32.77

103.74%

Eggs

$3.33 $3.33

$2.50 MX$43.72

33.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.36 $9.36

$10.20 MX$178

-8.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 $11.62

$8.25 MX$144

40.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.26 $14.26

$11.82 MX$207

20.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.01 MX$52.6

68.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.81 MX$31.67

-33.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$2.00 MX$34.96

182.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$2.00 MX$34.89

159.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.08 MX$36.45

89.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.27 MX$39.72

65.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.46 MX$25.47

36.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.08 MX$18.82

77.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.66 $10.66

$4.35 MX$76.0

145.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$16.99 MX$297

-13.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.73 MX$30.31

1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.58 MX$62.5

24.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 $2.27

$0.39 MX$6.77

482.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$121 $121

$18.69 MX$327

549.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 $5.04

$1.33 MX$23.18

278.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.28 MX$4.89

389.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.27 $29.27

$5.25 MX$91.8

457.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.34 MX$23.37

-38.81%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$19.4K MX$339.4K

80.89%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$23.8K MX$416.7K

7.34%

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

$226 $226

$40.69 MX$712

454.71%

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

$49.33 $49.33

$26.87 MX$470

83.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.9 $71.9

$30.51 MX$534

135.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.02 $42.02

$52.8 MX$923

-20.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.81 $9.81

$26.65 MX$466

-63.19%

Cinema Ticket

$14.01 $14.01

$6.51 MX$114

115.21%

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

$1,458 $1,458

$428 MX$7,485

240.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$10.5K MX$183.6K

191.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.77 $38.77

$57.3 MX$1,001

-32.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.32 $41.32

$45.50 MX$796

-9.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 $84.5

$104 MX$1,819

-18.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$108 MX$1,885

17.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,248 $1,248

$1,003 MX$17.5K

24.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 $1,017

$623 MX$10.9K

63.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 $2,180

$2,109 MX$36.9K

3.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 $2,276

$1,218 MX$21.3K

86.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,957 $2,957

$3,885 MX$67.9K

-23.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,197 $2,197

$2,033 MX$35.5K

8.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,046 $4,046

$1,038 MX$18.1K

289.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

11.34

-43.30%

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

Last update for Saint Paul, MN: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,248 in Saint Paul, MN and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Paul, MN pays 290% 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: $66.0 in Saint Paul, MN vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $388 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 Paul, MN vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Paul, MN and Mexico City differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($2,405 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 290% higher in Saint Paul, MN, 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: $1,248 in Saint Paul, MN 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 549% less than in Saint Paul, MN. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,458 in Saint Paul, MN 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 $2,405 in Saint Paul, MN, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Saint Paul, MN. 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.

Safety-wise, Saint Paul, MN and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Saint Paul, MN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.