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: $1,341 in Salto versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,953 in Salto versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,565 in Salto versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Salto costs roughly 19% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Salto is 2% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.23 UYU 653

$12.11 MX$205

34.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.48 UYU 1,508

$52.2 MX$883

-28.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 UYU 477

$10.90 MX$184

8.81%

Cappuccino

$3.40 UYU 137

$4.05 MX$68.5

-16.05%

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

$2.13 UYU 85.7

$1.72 MX$29.00

23.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 UYU 63.0

$1.38 MX$23.29

13.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 UYU 181

$3.47 MX$58.6

29.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 UYU 128

$5.81 MX$98.2

-45.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 UYU 55.5

$1.85 MX$31.33

-25.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 UYU 84.4

$3.22 MX$54.5

-34.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 UYU 61.4

$2.09 MX$35.25

-26.79%

Eggs

$5.24 UYU 211

$2.91 MX$49.18

80.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.16 UYU 610

$12.49 MX$211

21.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.61 UYU 346

$10.11 MX$171

-14.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 UYU 402

$15.89 MX$269

-37.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 UYU 49.25

$3.31 MX$56.0

-63.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 UYU 87.3

$2.13 MX$35.95

1.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 UYU 50.4

$2.19 MX$37.03

-42.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 UYU 76.2

$2.45 MX$41.37

-22.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 UYU 34.17

$2.19 MX$37.00

-61.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 UYU 67.1

$1.90 MX$32.20

-12.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 UYU 37.56

$1.62 MX$27.31

-42.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 UYU 59.2

$1.35 MX$22.82

8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 UYU 209

$5.43 MX$91.7

-4.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 UYU 306

$17.59 MX$297

-56.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 UYU 75.4

$2.07 MX$34.96

-9.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 UYU 104

$4.75 MX$80.2

-45.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 UYU 25.73

$0.34 MX$5.75

88.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.90 UYU 1,203

$21.58 MX$365

38.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.66 UYU 147

$0.58 MX$9.77

531.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 UYU 72.5

$1.62 MX$27.31

11.11%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

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

$202 UYU 8,120

$65.2 MX$1,103

209.35%

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

$21.33 UYU 858

$29.87 MX$505

-28.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.32 UYU 1,220

$36.55 MX$618

-17.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.89 UYU 1,444

$61.0 MX$1,031

-41.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.48 UYU 502

$26.70 MX$451

-53.26%

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 UYU 405

$6.85 MX$116

46.86%

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

$453 MX$7,664

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,543 UYU 182.8K

$13.4K MX$226.0K

-66.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 UYU 3,469

$75.0 MX$1,267

14.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 UYU 2,264

$55.3 MX$935

1.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 UYU 4,644

$114 MX$1,920

1.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.1 UYU 2,660

$123 MX$2,073

-46.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 UYU 18.3K

$1,134 MX$19.2K

-59.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 UYU 12.1K

$712 MX$12.0K

-57.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 UYU 29.4K

$2,571 MX$43.5K

-71.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 UYU 17.2K

$1,311 MX$22.2K

-67.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$631 UYU 25.4K

$1,047 MX$17.7K

-39.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Salto: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Salto and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 66% 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: $37.00 in Salto vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $345 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 23% in total monthly costs ($1,341 vs $1,646 including rent). Salto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 66% 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: $455 in Salto versus $1,134 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 $37.00 versus $52.0 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 39% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,341 in Salto versus $1,646 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 23% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.