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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,273 in Salto versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,869 in Salto versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,464 in Salto versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Salto costs roughly 13% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Salto is 5% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.41 UYU 821

$13.07 MX$229

56.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.63 UYU 1,594

$53.8 MX$940

-26.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 UYU 360

$9.68 MX$169

-7.54%

Cappuccino

$2.98 UYU 120

$3.74 MX$65.4

-20.32%

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

$2.23 UYU 89.7

$1.62 MX$28.25

37.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 UYU 60.3

$1.16 MX$20.31

29.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 UYU 182

$3.23 MX$56.4

39.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 UYU 131

$4.74 MX$82.9

-31.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 UYU 38.28

$1.65 MX$28.80

-42.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 UYU 48.44

$2.75 MX$48.15

-56.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 UYU 60.4

$1.87 MX$32.77

-19.79%

Eggs

$3.45 UYU 139

$2.50 MX$43.72

38.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.86 UYU 799

$10.20 MX$178

94.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 UYU 298

$8.25 MX$144

-10.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 UYU 404

$11.82 MX$207

-14.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.6

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.67

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 UYU 39.87

$2.00 MX$34.96

-50.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 UYU 57.8

$2.00 MX$34.89

-28.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.45

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.72

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 UYU 21.07

$1.46 MX$25.47

-64.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 UYU 50.4

$1.08 MX$18.82

15.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 UYU 205

$4.35 MX$76.0

17.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 UYU 298

$16.99 MX$297

-56.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 UYU 73.0

$1.73 MX$30.31

4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 UYU 87.2

$3.58 MX$62.5

-39.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 UYU 48.64

$0.39 MX$6.77

210.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.45 UYU 1,788

$18.69 MX$327

137.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 UYU 60.7

$1.33 MX$23.18

13.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 UYU 59.9

$0.28 MX$4.89

432.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.03 UYU 444

$5.25 MX$91.8

110.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 UYU 76.0

$1.34 MX$23.37

41.04%

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

$39.8K UYU 1.6M

$19.4K MX$339.4K

105.05%

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

$38.5K UYU 1.5M

$23.8K MX$416.7K

61.45%

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

$186 UYU 7,501

$40.69 MX$712

358.25%

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

$20.12 UYU 809

$26.87 MX$470

-25.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.80 UYU 1,360

$30.51 MX$534

10.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.17 UYU 1,294

$52.8 MX$923

-39.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

Cinema Ticket

$9.53 UYU 383

$6.51 MX$114

46.39%

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

$428 MX$7,485

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 UYU 2,741

$57.3 MX$1,001

19.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.6 UYU 2,436

$45.50 MX$796

33.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 UYU 4,476

$104 MX$1,819

6.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.6 UYU 2,681

$108 MX$1,885

-38.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 UYU 17.2K

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-57.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 UYU 11.3K

$623 MX$10.9K

-54.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 UYU 29.7K

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-64.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 UYU 18.4K

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-62.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 UYU 24.7K

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-40.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Salto: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $426 in Salto and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 69% 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: $40.00 in Salto vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $292 per month, with Salto 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

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

Salto and Mexico City differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,273 vs $1,456 including rent). Salto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 69% 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: $426 in Salto versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Salto – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Salto runs roughly 138% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,273 in Salto versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Salto but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Salto 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, Salto 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 Salto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.