Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro Sula and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between San Pedro Sula and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in San Pedro Sula versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,845 in San Pedro Sula versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,467 in San Pedro Sula versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in San Pedro Sula costs roughly 26% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Pedro Sula is 11% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 HNL 205

$12.11 MX$206

-36.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.69 HNL 904

$52.2 MX$887

-35.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.34 HNL 251

$10.90 MX$185

-14.31%

Cappuccino

$2.42 HNL 65.0

$4.05 MX$68.8

-40.25%

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

$1.08 HNL 28.93

$1.72 MX$29.13

-37.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 HNL 20.87

$1.38 MX$23.40

-43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 HNL 50.5

$3.47 MX$58.9

-45.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 HNL 93.8

$5.81 MX$98.7

-39.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 HNL 39.31

$1.85 MX$31.48

-20.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 HNL 52.8

$3.22 MX$54.7

-38.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 HNL 43.42

$2.09 MX$35.42

-22.49%

Eggs

$2.30 HNL 61.8

$2.91 MX$49.41

-20.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 HNL 235

$12.49 MX$212

-29.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 HNL 182

$10.11 MX$172

-32.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.26 HNL 248

$15.89 MX$270

-41.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 HNL 97.2

$3.31 MX$56.3

9.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 HNL 32.76

$2.13 MX$36.12

-42.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 HNL 88.4

$2.19 MX$37.20

50.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 HNL 43.94

$2.45 MX$41.57

-33.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 HNL 65.2

$2.19 MX$37.18

10.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 HNL 61.4

$1.90 MX$32.35

20.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 HNL 39.24

$1.62 MX$27.44

-9.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 HNL 45.02

$1.35 MX$22.92

24.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 HNL 78.1

$5.43 MX$92.1

-46.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.95 HNL 348

$17.59 MX$299

-26.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 HNL 21.38

$2.07 MX$35.12

-61.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 HNL 36.17

$4.75 MX$80.6

-71.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 HNL 16.91

$0.34 MX$5.77

85.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.42 HNL 950

$21.58 MX$366

64.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 HNL 76.0

$2.04 MX$34.65

38.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 HNL 48.83

$0.58 MX$9.82

213.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.20 HNL 301

$5.97 MX$101

87.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 HNL 26.55

$1.62 MX$27.44

-38.89%

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

$23.3K HNL 625.1K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

2.13%

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

$24.4K HNL 654.3K

$26.7K MX$452.8K

-8.53%

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

$128 HNL 3,439

$65.2 MX$1,108

96.44%

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

$11.18 HNL 300

$29.87 MX$507

-62.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.78 HNL 1,148

$36.55 MX$621

17.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.57 HNL 1,008

$61.0 MX$1,036

-38.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.89 HNL 373

$26.70 MX$453

-47.98%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 HNL 155

$6.85 MX$116

-15.77%

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

$149 HNL 4,009

$453 MX$7,700

-67.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,150 HNL 84.5K

$13.4K MX$227.1K

-76.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 HNL 1,984

$75.0 MX$1,273

-1.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.87 HNL 1,070

$55.3 MX$939

-27.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 HNL 2,090

$114 MX$1,929

-31.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.8 HNL 2,034

$123 MX$2,083

-38.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 HNL 14.8K

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-51.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 HNL 11.1K

$712 MX$12.1K

-41.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 HNL 21.3K

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-69.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 HNL 19.1K

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-45.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$995 HNL 26.7K

$3,993 MX$67.8K

-75.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$430 HNL 11.5K

$2,095 MX$35.6K

-79.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 HNL 16.1K

$1,047 MX$17.8K

-42.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.33

11.3

9.12%

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

Last update for San Pedro Sula: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $552 in San Pedro Sula and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 74% 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: $34.00 in San Pedro Sula vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $345 per month, with San Pedro Sula 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 Pedro Sula vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Pedro Sula and Mexico City differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,223 vs $1,646 including rent). San Pedro Sula is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 74% 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: $552 in San Pedro Sula versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in San Pedro Sula runs roughly 64% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $149 in San Pedro Sula versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,223 in San Pedro Sula versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Pedro Sula but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes San Pedro Sula 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 Pedro Sula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.