πMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,079 in San Felipe versus $1,466 in Mexico City.
πEstimated couple costs with rent: $1,727 in San Felipe versus $2,325 in Mexico City.
πMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,374 in San Felipe versus $3,184 in Mexico City.
πLiving in San Felipe costs roughly 26% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.
πThe two cities straddle the global median: San Felipe is 19% below, Mexico City is 9% above.
Currency
π½ Eating Out
San Felipe
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.12MX$123
$13.30MX$230
-46.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.54MX$685
$53.8MX$932
-26.49%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.71MX$134
$9.42MX$163
-18.15%
Cappuccino
$3.24MX$56.1
$3.59MX$62.2
-9.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24MX$21.47
$1.62MX$28.11
-23.46%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97MX$16.83
$1.12MX$19.48
-13.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43MX$42.16
$3.25MX$56.3
-25.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.82MX$66.2
$4.65MX$80.6
-17.85%
π Groceries & Markets
San Felipe
Mexico City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.49MX$25.81
$1.64MX$28.35
-9.15%
White Bread(500g)
$2.61MX$45.22
$2.65MX$45.98
-1.51%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62MX$28.07
$1.96MX$33.97
-17.35%
Eggs
$2.42MX$41.83
$2.54MX$44.06
-4.72%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.12MX$141
$9.97MX$173
-18.56%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.96MX$138
$8.39MX$145
-5.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.71MX$185
$11.83MX$205
-9.47%
Apples(1kg)
$2.59MX$44.89
$2.86MX$49.59
-9.44%
Banana(1kg)
$1.45MX$25.16
$1.73MX$30.03
-16.18%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.73MX$29.90
$1.99MX$34.48
-13.07%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.26
$2.05MX$35.49
-20.49%
Potato(1kg)
$1.90MX$32.97
$2.06MX$35.62
-7.77%
Onion(1kg)
$2.00MX$34.71
$2.28MX$39.52
-12.28%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.26MX$21.78
$1.45MX$25.04
-13.10%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.01MX$17.50
$1.09MX$18.82
-7.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27MX$73.9
$4.27MX$73.9
-
Wine(Bottle)
$12.60MX$218
$14.67MX$254
-14.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$28.04
$1.76MX$30.56
-7.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76MX$47.88
$3.57MX$61.8
-22.69%
π Getting Around
San Felipe
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.65MX$11.34
$0.38MX$6.66
71.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$18.73MX$324
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.55MX$44.11
$1.39MX$24.07
83.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.56MX$26.98
$0.30MX$5.25
420.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.50MX$147
$5.41MX$93.8
57.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.26MX$21.77
$1.34MX$23.21
-5.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2KMX$366.7K
$18.9KMX$326.5K
12.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.6KMX$390.6K
$23.2KMX$401.8K
-2.78%
π§Ύ Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Felipe
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$56.4MX$977
$40.30MX$698
39.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.12MX$383
$27.15MX$470
-18.53%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.87MX$483
$29.46MX$510
-5.40%
π Sport & Entertainment
San Felipe
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.27MX$611
$52.7MX$913
-33.12%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.09MX$279
$26.17MX$453
-38.52%
Cinema Ticket
$4.55MX$78.8
$6.18MX$107
-26.38%
π§Έ Childcare & Education
San Felipe
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$208MX$3,596
$441MX$7,633
-52.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,597MX$62.3K
$10.7KMX$185.3K
-66.38%
ππ Clothing & Footwear
San Felipe
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.3MX$905
$57.2MX$991
-8.72%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.16MX$696
$45.04MX$780
-10.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$91.4MX$1,583
$103MX$1,792
-11.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.6MX$1,379
$109MX$1,883
-26.75%
π Accommodation & Living
San Felipe
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$514MX$8,911
$1,000MX$17.3K
-48.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$392MX$6,796
$632MX$10.9K
-37.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$915MX$15.9K
$2,141MX$37.1K
-57.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$750MX$13.0K
$1,253MX$21.7K
-40.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,145MX$37.1K
$3,745MX$64.9K
-42.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,190MX$20.6K
$2,381MX$41.2K
-50.02%
π΅ Salaries & Financials
San Felipe
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$1,079MX$18.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.48
11.34
1.23%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input β minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for San Felipe: April 20, 2026
Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
π A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $514 in San Felipe and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
πDining out: $40 in San Felipe vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $256 vs $286 per month, with San Felipe 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
San Felipe vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in San Felipe and Mexico City?
San Felipe and Mexico City differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,079 vs $1,466 including rent). San Felipe is meaningfully more affordable β a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in San Felipe compared to Mexico City?
You'd need roughly $1,619 in San Felipe and $2,199 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in San Felipe and Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $514 in San Felipe versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between San Felipe and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $208 in San Felipe versus $441 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 San Felipe β 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.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,079 in San Felipe versus $1,466 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Felipe but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes San Felipe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between San Felipe and Mexico City?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better β the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is San Felipe or Mexico City safer for residents?
Safety-wise, San Felipe 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: San Felipe or Mexico City?
Expats usually find San Felipe gentler on the wallet β expenses run 36% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
San Felipe vs other spots: cost of living compared