🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,055 in Saku versus $1,484 in Mexico City.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,659 in Saku versus $2,381 in Mexico City.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,263 in Saku versus $3,278 in Mexico City.
🙂Living in Saku costs roughly 29% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Saku is 21% below, Mexico City is 11% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saku
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.95€13.65
$12.98MX$227
22.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.2€59.2
$53.1MX$929
30.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.93€8.50
$9.72MX$170
2.16%
Cappuccino
$3.61€3.09
$3.75MX$65.6
-3.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55€2.19
$1.57MX$27.46
62.42%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45€2.10
$1.13MX$19.76
116.81%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.06€4.33
$3.18MX$55.7
59.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.95€5.09
$4.66MX$81.6
27.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saku
Mexico City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.24€1.06
$1.62MX$28.37
-23.46%
White Bread(500g)
$1.43€1.23
$2.71MX$47.36
-47.23%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.39€2.05
$1.88MX$32.89
27.13%
Eggs
$2.97€2.54
$2.51MX$43.90
18.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.57€10.76
$10.08MX$176
24.70%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.94€7.65
$8.29MX$145
7.84%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.18€9.57
$11.94MX$209
-6.37%
Apples(1kg)
$1.97€1.69
$2.86MX$50.1
-31.12%
Banana(1kg)
$1.57€1.35
$1.75MX$30.62
-10.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.47€2.11
$2.08MX$36.48
18.75%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.39€2.04
$1.97MX$34.46
21.32%
Potato(1kg)
$1.00€0.85
$2.16MX$37.79
-53.70%
Onion(1kg)
$0.93€0.80
$2.18MX$38.16
-57.34%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.97€1.69
$1.39MX$24.34
41.73%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.06€0.91
$1.12MX$19.69
-5.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.30€5.39
$4.20MX$73.5
50.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.73€9.18
$14.25MX$249
-24.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90€1.63
$1.76MX$30.85
7.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17€1.86
$3.68MX$64.5
-41.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Saku
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.39MX$6.74
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$18.66MX$327
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.41€2.92
$1.39MX$24.26
145.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.69€0.59
$0.30MX$5.32
130.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.54€15.02
$5.42MX$94.9
223.62%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.95€1.67
$1.35MX$23.63
44.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.9K€24.8K
$18.9KMX$330.5K
53.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K€26.7K
$23.2KMX$405.2K
34.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saku
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$274€235
$40.82MX$714
572.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.28€17.36
$27.50MX$481
-26.25%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.06€30.87
$30.38MX$532
18.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saku
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$53.4MX$935
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$26.30MX$460
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.67€9.99
$6.27MX$110
86.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saku
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$118€101
$436MX$7,632
-73.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,848€6,718
$10.5KMX$183.2K
-25.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saku
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$114€97.2
$56.8MX$993
100.09%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.16€34.38
$44.79MX$784
-10.34%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$97.3€83.3
$103MX$1,799
-5.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109€93.5
$108MX$1,888
1.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saku
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,000MX$17.5K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$620MX$10.9K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,137MX$37.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,235MX$21.6K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,206€3,601
$3,865MX$67.6K
8.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,838€2,430
$2,332MX$40.8K
21.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saku
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,881€1,610
$1,067MX$18.7K
76.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.3
11.34
-62.08%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Saku: April 27, 2026
Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
💰Saku pays 76% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $69.0 in Saku vs $53.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $266 vs $286, with Saku 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
Saku vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Saku and Mexico City?
Saku and Mexico City differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,055 vs $1,484 including rent). Saku is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Saku or Mexico City?
Saku pays 76% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Saku and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $118 in Saku versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Saku – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,055 in Saku versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Saku but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Saku the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Saku and Mexico City?
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.
Is Saku or Mexico City safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Saku 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.
Where should expats move: Saku or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Saku gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.