Cost of Living Comparison Between Sal and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Sal and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,011 in Sal versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Sal versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,992 in Sal versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Sal costs roughly 31% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sal is 24% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.68 CVE 545

$13.14 MX$227

-56.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.90 CVE 4,499

$53.5 MX$926

-12.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.44 CVE 714

$9.33 MX$161

-20.26%

Cappuccino

$2.27 CVE 218

$3.70 MX$64.0

-38.65%

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

$2.51 CVE 240

$1.60 MX$27.76

56.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 CVE 108

$1.12 MX$19.34

0.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.01 CVE 384

$3.14 MX$54.3

27.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 CVE 300

$4.85 MX$83.9

-35.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 CVE 143

$1.65 MX$28.61

-9.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 CVE 204

$2.71 MX$46.96

-21.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 CVE 143

$1.91 MX$33.03

-21.99%

Eggs

$2.85 CVE 274

$2.59 MX$44.81

10.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 CVE 1,074

$9.81 MX$170

14.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.48 CVE 813

$8.43 MX$146

0.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.35 CVE 1,568

$11.93 MX$206

37.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 CVE 276

$2.95 MX$51.1

-2.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 CVE 234

$1.74 MX$30.10

40.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 CVE 272

$2.04 MX$35.38

38.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 CVE 388

$2.06 MX$35.64

96.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 CVE 150

$2.15 MX$37.20

-26.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 CVE 184

$2.26 MX$39.02

-15.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 CVE 169

$1.39 MX$23.97

26.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 CVE 105

$1.12 MX$19.31

-2.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 CVE 445

$4.22 MX$73.0

9.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.86 CVE 658

$17.51 MX$303

-60.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 CVE 282

$1.71 MX$29.58

71.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 CVE 182

$3.63 MX$62.8

-47.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 CVE 99.7

$0.35 MX$6.10

197.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 CVE 204

$1.38 MX$23.80

53.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.90 CVE 278

$0.28 MX$4.77

935.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.90 CVE 1,238

$5.28 MX$91.3

144.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CVE 137

$1.36 MX$23.50

5.15%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

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

$91.6 CVE 8,783

$40.53 MX$701

125.91%

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

$27.38 MX$474

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.0 CVE 5,176

$30.38 MX$526

77.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.41 CVE 3,397

$52.2 MX$903

-32.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

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

$150 CVE 14.4K

$425 MX$7,355

-64.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,509 CVE 240.7K

$10.7K MX$185.7K

-76.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.05 CVE 2,978

$58.3 MX$1,009

-46.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 CVE 14.3K

$109 MX$1,881

36.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 CVE 32.1K

$1,014 MX$17.5K

-66.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 CVE 27.7K

$623 MX$10.8K

-53.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 CVE 42.9K

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-78.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 CVE 37.7K

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-67.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$666 CVE 63.9K

$3,792 MX$65.6K

-82.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$336 CVE 32.3K

$2,110 MX$36.5K

-84.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$256 CVE 24.6K

$1,052 MX$18.2K

-75.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

11.34

-45.59%

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

Last update for Sal: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $335 in Sal and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City 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: $47.00 in Sal vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $293, 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

Sal vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sal and Mexico City differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($1,011 vs $1,472 including rent). Sal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 311% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $335 in Sal versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $150 in Sal versus $425 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 Sal – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,011 in Sal versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sal but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sal 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, Sal 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 Sal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.