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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,040 in San Juan del Sur versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,663 in San Juan del Sur versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,285 in San Juan del Sur versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in San Juan del Sur costs roughly 37% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Juan del Sur is 24% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.32 NIO 158

$12.11 MX$206

-64.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.13 NIO 1,213

$52.2 MX$887

-36.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 NIO 207

$10.90 MX$185

-48.17%

Cappuccino

$2.51 NIO 91.9

$4.05 MX$68.8

-38.02%

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

$0.88 NIO 32.30

$1.72 MX$29.13

-48.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NIO 26.63

$1.38 MX$23.40

-47.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 NIO 52.8

$3.47 MX$58.9

-58.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 NIO 74.5

$5.81 MX$98.7

-65.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 NIO 43.35

$1.85 MX$31.48

-36.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 NIO 56.2

$3.22 MX$54.7

-52.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 NIO 42.64

$2.09 MX$35.42

-44.50%

Eggs

$2.33 NIO 85.2

$2.91 MX$49.41

-19.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 NIO 287

$12.49 MX$212

-37.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 NIO 229

$10.11 MX$172

-38.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 NIO 262

$15.89 MX$270

-55.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 NIO 135

$3.31 MX$56.3

11.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 NIO 21.35

$2.13 MX$36.12

-72.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 NIO 64.7

$2.19 MX$37.20

-19.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 NIO 79.7

$2.45 MX$41.57

-11.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 NIO 117

$2.19 MX$37.18

45.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 NIO 78.8

$1.90 MX$32.35

13.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 NIO 36.61

$1.62 MX$27.44

-38.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NIO 39.22

$1.35 MX$22.92

-20.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 NIO 99.7

$5.43 MX$92.1

-49.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 NIO 362

$17.59 MX$299

-43.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.6

$2.07 MX$35.12

-29.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 NIO 84.5

$4.75 MX$80.6

-51.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.77

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$366

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 NIO 60.8

$2.04 MX$34.65

-18.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 NIO 60.5

$0.58 MX$9.82

184.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 NIO 254

$5.97 MX$101

16.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 NIO 49.15

$1.62 MX$27.44

-17.28%

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

$22.9K NIO 837.1K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

0.20%

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

$26.2K NIO 960.8K

$26.7K MX$452.8K

-1.60%

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

$60.4 NIO 2,211

$65.2 MX$1,108

-7.45%

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

$10.59 NIO 388

$29.87 MX$507

-64.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.66 NIO 1,306

$36.55 MX$621

-2.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.73 NIO 1,126

$61.0 MX$1,036

-49.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 NIO 315

$6.85 MX$116

25.55%

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

$232 NIO 8,493

$453 MX$7,700

-48.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,167 NIO 225.9K

$13.4K MX$227.1K

-53.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 NIO 2,606

$75.0 MX$1,273

-5.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.3 NIO 2,648

$55.3 MX$939

30.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NIO 4,777

$114 MX$1,929

14.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,909

$123 MX$2,083

-12.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 NIO 15.4K

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-62.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 NIO 14.2K

$712 MX$12.1K

-45.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 NIO 34.1K

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-63.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 NIO 28.2K

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-41.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$348 NIO 12.7K

$1,047 MX$17.8K

-66.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

11.3

-9.29%

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

Last update for San Juan del Sur: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $420 in San Juan del Sur and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 201% 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: $33.00 in San Juan del Sur vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $345 per month, with San Juan del Sur 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 del Sur vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan del Sur and Mexico City differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($1,040 vs $1,646 including rent). San Juan del Sur is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 201% 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: $420 in San Juan del Sur versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $232 in San Juan del Sur versus $453 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 del Sur – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,040 in San Juan del Sur versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Juan del Sur but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan del Sur 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.

Expats usually find San Juan del Sur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.