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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $907 in San Rafael versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in San Rafael versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,954 in San Rafael versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in San Rafael costs roughly 38% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Rafael is 32% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.97 ARS 14.7K

$13.07 MX$229

-23.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.95 ARS 29.5K

$53.8 MX$943

-62.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.97 ARS 8,817

$9.68 MX$170

-38.33%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ARS 2,606

$3.74 MX$65.6

-52.94%

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

$1.01 ARS 1,494

$1.62 MX$28.34

-37.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ARS 1,440

$1.16 MX$20.37

-16.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ARS 1,452

$3.23 MX$56.6

-69.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,177

$4.74 MX$83.1

-68.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ARS 1,507

$1.65 MX$28.89

-38.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ARS 2,284

$2.75 MX$48.30

-43.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 ARS 2,111

$1.87 MX$32.87

-23.53%

Eggs

$1.58 ARS 2,341

$2.50 MX$43.86

-36.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.43 ARS 8,031

$10.20 MX$179

-46.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 ARS 10.9K

$8.25 MX$145

-10.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.55 ARS 9,684

$11.82 MX$207

-44.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 ARS 2,605

$3.01 MX$52.8

-41.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ARS 2,198

$1.81 MX$31.77

-17.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ARS 2,172

$2.00 MX$35.07

-26.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 ARS 1,356

$2.00 MX$35.00

-54.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ARS 1,030

$2.08 MX$36.56

-66.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 ARS 1,015

$2.27 MX$39.85

-69.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ARS 895

$1.46 MX$25.55

-58.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ARS 1,888

$1.08 MX$18.88

18.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 ARS 2,651

$4.35 MX$76.3

-58.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.90 ARS 7,241

$16.99 MX$298

-71.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ARS 1,659

$1.73 MX$30.40

-35.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ARS 2,445

$3.58 MX$62.7

-53.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ARS 1,220

$0.39 MX$6.79

112.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 ARS 667

$1.33 MX$23.25

-66.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,511

$0.28 MX$4.91

264.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 ARS 7,059

$5.25 MX$92.1

-8.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ARS 1,228

$1.34 MX$23.44

-38.06%

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

$31.5K ARS 46.6M

$19.4K MX$340.5K

62.43%

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

$32.9K ARS 48.6M

$23.8K MX$418.0K

37.99%

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

$77.6 ARS 114.6K

$40.69 MX$714

90.61%

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

$6.57 ARS 9,713

$26.87 MX$471

-75.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.45 ARS 22.8K

$30.51 MX$535

-49.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.43 ARS 39.1K

$52.8 MX$926

-49.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.94 ARS 20.6K

$26.65 MX$467

-47.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 ARS 8,703

$6.51 MX$114

-9.52%

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

$102 ARS 151.2K

$428 MX$7,508

-76.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,138 ARS 3.2M

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-79.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 ARS 119.8K

$57.3 MX$1,004

41.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.6 ARS 111.7K

$45.50 MX$798

66.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 ARS 219.7K

$104 MX$1,825

42.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 ARS 178.2K

$108 MX$1,891

11.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 ARS 499.6K

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-66.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 ARS 348.3K

$623 MX$10.9K

-62.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$676 ARS 999.0K

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-67.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 ARS 797.1K

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-55.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,551 ARS 3.8M

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-34.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,596 ARS 2.4M

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-21.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

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 Rafael: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $338 in San Rafael and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in San Rafael vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $292 per month, with San Rafael 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 Rafael vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Rafael and Mexico City differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($907 vs $1,456 including rent). San Rafael is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,360 in San Rafael and $2,185 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $338 in San Rafael versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $102 in San Rafael versus $428 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 Rafael – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $907 in San Rafael versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Rafael but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes San Rafael 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 Rafael 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 Rafael gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.