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: $888 in San Juan versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,375 in San Juan versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,863 in San Juan versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in San Juan costs roughly 46% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Juan is 35% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.15 ARS 10.8K

$11.92 MX$206

-40.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.74 ARS 60.1K

$51.6 MX$890

-22.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.33 ARS 18.6K

$11.41 MX$197

8.06%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ARS 3,808

$3.99 MX$68.9

-36.84%

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

$2.12 ARS 3,208

$1.66 MX$28.61

27.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ARS 2,673

$1.33 MX$22.87

33.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.95 ARS 5,968

$3.47 MX$59.9

13.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 ARS 6,653

$5.90 MX$102

-25.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 ARS 2,083

$1.88 MX$32.36

-26.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ARS 2,128

$3.25 MX$56.1

-56.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ARS 2,102

$2.16 MX$37.26

-35.65%

Eggs

$1.38 ARS 2,087

$2.90 MX$49.94

-52.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.83 ARS 4,279

$12.86 MX$222

-77.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.09 ARS 9,211

$10.05 MX$173

-39.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.08 ARS 16.8K

$15.86 MX$273

-30.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 ARS 2,173

$3.29 MX$56.8

-56.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 ARS 2,083

$2.01 MX$34.60

-31.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 ARS 2,071

$2.20 MX$37.93

-37.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ARS 2,181

$2.36 MX$40.63

-38.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ARS 2,118

$2.05 MX$35.43

-31.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 ARS 2,116

$1.90 MX$32.79

-26.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ARS 2,100

$1.61 MX$27.68

-13.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 ARS 2,108

$1.40 MX$24.09

-0.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 ARS 4,189

$5.46 MX$94.2

-49.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.12 ARS 7,748

$17.65 MX$304

-70.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 ARS 2,100

$2.06 MX$35.44

-32.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ARS 2,201

$4.68 MX$80.8

-68.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ARS 1,559

$0.34 MX$5.84

202.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 ARS 3,009

$2.10 MX$36.15

-5.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ARS 1,490

$0.56 MX$9.64

76.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.01 ARS 7,569

$5.81 MX$100

-13.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ARS 1,766

$1.61 MX$27.68

-27.33%

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

$27.4K ARS 41.4M

$22.8K MX$393.8K

19.96%

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

$33.0K ARS 49.9M

$26.8K MX$461.2K

23.49%

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

$136 ARS 205.9K

$65.2 MX$1,124

108.93%

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

$9.91 ARS 15.0K

$30.09 MX$519

-67.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ARS 26.9K

$37.18 MX$641

-52.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.13 ARS 45.6K

$59.8 MX$1,030

-49.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.26 ARS 11.0K

$7.04 MX$121

3.12%

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

$173 ARS 261.9K

$465 MX$8,012

-62.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,210 ARS 6.4M

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-68.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 ARS 164.5K

$75.9 MX$1,308

43.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.02 ARS 65.0K

$56.0 MX$965

-23.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.2 ARS 86.5K

$112 MX$1,929

-48.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.33 ARS 53.4K

$121 MX$2,078

-70.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 ARS 373.6K

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-77.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 ARS 299.7K

$721 MX$12.4K

-72.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 ARS 759.0K

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-80.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 ARS 612.2K

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-68.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$693 ARS 1.0M

$1,037 MX$17.9K

-33.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

377.88%

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

Last update for San Juan: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $247 in San Juan and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 50% 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 San Juan vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $345 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 87% in total monthly costs ($888 vs $1,660 including rent). San Juan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 50% 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: $247 in San Juan versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $173 in San Juan versus $465 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 San Juan – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $888 in San Juan versus $1,660 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 87% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.