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: $612 in San Juan versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $991 in San Juan versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,370 in San Juan versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in San Juan costs roughly 59% 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 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.02 ARS 8,406

$12.98 MX$227

-53.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.50 ARS 41.2K

$53.1 MX$929

-44.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 ARS 11.4K

$9.72 MX$170

-15.74%

Cappuccino

$1.49 ARS 2,082

$3.75 MX$65.6

-60.27%

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

$0.95 ARS 1,320

$1.57 MX$27.46

-39.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 ARS 1,188

$1.13 MX$19.76

-24.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 ARS 2,745

$3.18 MX$55.7

-38.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,113

$4.66 MX$81.6

-36.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 ARS 1,098

$1.62 MX$28.37

-51.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 ARS 982

$2.71 MX$47.36

-74.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 ARS 1,708

$1.88 MX$32.89

-35.11%

Eggs

$1.66 ARS 2,313

$2.51 MX$43.90

-33.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.50 ARS 4,879

$10.08 MX$176

-65.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 ARS 4,986

$8.29 MX$145

-56.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.03 ARS 5,628

$11.94 MX$209

-66.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 ARS 2,143

$2.86 MX$50.1

-46.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ARS 2,117

$1.75 MX$30.62

-13.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ARS 2,120

$2.08 MX$36.48

-26.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ARS 2,924

$1.97 MX$34.46

6.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ARS 936

$2.16 MX$37.79

-68.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 ARS 871

$2.18 MX$38.16

-71.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 ARS 538

$1.39 MX$24.34

-71.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ARS 1,214

$1.12 MX$19.69

-22.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.72 ARS 2,406

$4.20 MX$73.5

-59.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.55 ARS 6,343

$14.25 MX$249

-68.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ARS 2,154

$1.76 MX$30.85

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 ARS 2,484

$3.68 MX$64.5

-51.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ARS 399

$0.39 MX$6.74

-25.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.94 ARS 6,893

$18.66 MX$327

-73.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 ARS 579

$1.39 MX$24.26

-70.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,419

$0.30 MX$5.32

240.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 ARS 6,920

$5.42 MX$94.9

-8.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,536

$1.35 MX$23.63

-18.52%

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

$30.9K ARS 43.1M

$18.9K MX$330.5K

63.64%

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

$20.6K ARS 28.7M

$23.2K MX$405.2K

-11.03%

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

$78.0 ARS 108.8K

$40.82 MX$714

91.06%

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

$5.04 ARS 7,029

$27.50 MX$481

-81.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.12 ARS 14.1K

$30.38 MX$532

-66.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.92 ARS 25.0K

$53.4 MX$935

-66.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.84 ARS 8,152

$26.30 MX$460

-77.79%

Cinema Ticket

$2.02 ARS 2,825

$6.27 MX$110

-67.78%

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

$104 ARS 145.8K

$436 MX$7,632

-76.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,123 ARS 3.0M

$10.5K MX$183.2K

-79.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 ARS 69.8K

$56.8 MX$993

-11.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 ARS 70.7K

$44.79 MX$784

13.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 ARS 139.4K

$103 MX$1,799

-2.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 ARS 166.1K

$108 MX$1,888

10.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 ARS 205.4K

$1,000 MX$17.5K

-85.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.0 ARS 126.9K

$620 MX$10.9K

-85.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 ARS 348.5K

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-88.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 ARS 282.4K

$1,235 MX$21.6K

-83.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,054 ARS 2.9M

$3,865 MX$67.6K

-46.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,059 ARS 2.9M

$2,332 MX$40.8K

-11.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$699 ARS 974.9K

$1,067 MX$18.7K

-34.53%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $147 in San Juan and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 53% 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: $29.00 in San Juan vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $136 vs $286 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 142% in total monthly costs ($612 vs $1,484 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 53% 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: $147 in San Juan versus $1,000 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 278% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $104 in San Juan versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $612 in San Juan versus $1,484 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 142% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.