Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $615 in San Juan versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,006 in San Juan versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,396 in San Juan versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in San Juan costs roughly 57% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Juan is 54% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 ARS 8,750

$12.98 MX$223

-52.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.55 ARS 43.6K

$52.6 MX$903

-41.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 ARS 11.6K

$9.43 MX$162

-13.79%

Cappuccino

$1.51 ARS 2,152

$3.57 MX$61.3

-57.70%

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

$0.96 ARS 1,368

$1.61 MX$27.55

-40.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ARS 1,209

$1.15 MX$19.81

-26.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 ARS 2,787

$3.15 MX$54.0

-38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ARS 4,165

$4.86 MX$83.4

-39.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 ARS 1,120

$1.70 MX$29.17

-54.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 ARS 944

$2.64 MX$45.23

-75.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 ARS 1,733

$1.90 MX$32.67

-36.32%

Eggs

$1.65 ARS 2,361

$2.54 MX$43.62

-35.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.34 ARS 4,772

$10.08 MX$173

-66.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 ARS 4,920

$8.29 MX$142

-58.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.09 ARS 5,838

$11.57 MX$199

-64.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 ARS 2,110

$3.03 MX$52.0

-51.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,097

$1.71 MX$29.35

-14.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ARS 2,080

$2.05 MX$35.16

-28.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ARS 3,001

$2.06 MX$35.36

1.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ARS 950

$2.06 MX$35.43

-67.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ARS 947

$2.17 MX$37.25

-69.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 ARS 547

$1.40 MX$24.08

-72.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ARS 1,234

$1.12 MX$19.26

-23.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 ARS 2,514

$4.29 MX$73.7

-58.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.05 ARS 7,208

$15.41 MX$265

-67.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,107

$1.67 MX$28.74

-11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ARS 2,503

$3.69 MX$63.3

-52.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ARS 412

$0.38 MX$6.55

-23.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.97 ARS 7,106

$19.06 MX$327

-73.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 ARS 644

$1.38 MX$23.70

-67.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,462

$0.28 MX$4.74

264.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 ARS 7,123

$5.42 MX$92.9

-7.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,568

$1.28 MX$21.98

-14.06%

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

$31.1K ARS 44.4M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

63.94%

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

$20.7K ARS 29.6M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

-11.68%

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

$76.0 ARS 108.5K

$41.02 MX$704

85.23%

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

$4.99 ARS 7,127

$26.92 MX$462

-81.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 ARS 14.1K

$29.69 MX$510

-66.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.65 ARS 25.2K

$52.3 MX$898

-66.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 ARS 8,757

$26.23 MX$450

-76.63%

Cinema Ticket

$2.03 ARS 2,900

$6.18 MX$106

-67.15%

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

$102 ARS 145.6K

$427 MX$7,331

-76.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,116 ARS 3.0M

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-80.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 ARS 72.2K

$56.8 MX$975

-11.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 ARS 71.9K

$44.83 MX$769

12.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ARS 143.1K

$105 MX$1,794

-4.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ARS 170.4K

$106 MX$1,819

12.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$153 ARS 218.2K

$995 MX$17.1K

-84.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.6 ARS 128.0K

$621 MX$10.7K

-85.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 ARS 353.2K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-88.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 ARS 280.3K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-84.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,502 ARS 3.6M

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-35.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,087 ARS 3.0M

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-0.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$697 ARS 996.0K

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-37.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

596.65%

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

Last update for San Juan: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $153 in San Juan and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 59% 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: $31.00 in San Juan vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $134 vs $288 per month, with San Juan 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 Juan vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan and Mexico City differ by about 135% in total monthly costs ($615 vs $1,447 including rent). San Juan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 59% less. 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: $153 in San Juan versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in San Juan runs roughly 284% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $102 in San Juan versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $615 in San Juan versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Juan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan 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, San Juan 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 San Juan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.