😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,861 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife versus $1,484 in Mexico City.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,614 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife versus $2,381 in Mexico City.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,366 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife versus $3,278 in Mexico City.
😐Living in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is roughly 25% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Cruz de Tenerife39% above, Mexico City11% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Mexico City
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.08€14.59
$12.98MX$226
31.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.3€49.78
$53.1MX$923
9.84%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.47€8.94
$9.72MX$169
7.72%
Cappuccino
$2.02€1.72
$3.75MX$65.2
-46.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75€1.49
$1.57MX$27.30
11.46%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02€0.87
$1.13MX$19.64
-9.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.95€2.52
$3.18MX$55.3
-7.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16€2.70
$4.66MX$81.1
-32.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Mexico City
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.23€1.05
$1.62MX$28.21
-24.07%
White Bread(500g)
$1.73€1.47
$2.71MX$47.09
-36.16%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.52€1.29
$1.88MX$32.70
-19.15%
Eggs
$3.12€2.67
$2.51MX$43.65
24.30%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.30€14.77
$10.08MX$175
71.63%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.38€7.15
$8.29MX$144
1.09%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.36€12.26
$11.94MX$208
20.27%
Apples(1kg)
$2.42€2.07
$2.86MX$49.77
-15.38%
Banana(1kg)
$1.75€1.50
$1.75MX$30.45
-
Oranges(1kg)
$1.59€1.36
$2.08MX$36.27
-23.56%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.55€2.18
$1.97MX$34.27
29.44%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56€1.34
$2.16MX$37.58
-27.78%
Onion(1kg)
$1.76€1.51
$2.18MX$37.94
-19.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.53€1.30
$1.39MX$24.20
10.07%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71€0.61
$1.12MX$19.57
-36.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.12€4.37
$4.20MX$73.1
21.90%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.37€7.14
$14.25MX$248
-41.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54€1.32
$1.76MX$30.68
-12.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73€1.48
$3.68MX$64.1
-52.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Mexico City
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.71€1.46
$0.39MX$6.71
338.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.74€29.67
$18.66MX$325
86.17%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.71€4.03
$1.39MX$24.12
238.85%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.29€1.10
$0.30MX$5.29
330.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.39€14.85
$5.42MX$94.3
220.85%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.62€1.38
$1.35MX$23.50
20.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.9K€32.4K
$18.9KMX$328.6K
100.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.1K€25.7K
$23.2KMX$402.8K
30.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Mexico City
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$90.1€76.9
$40.82MX$710
120.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.19€18.09
$27.50MX$479
-22.95%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.60€26.13
$30.38MX$529
0.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Mexico City
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0€43.55
$53.4MX$930
-4.55%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.16€9.53
$26.30MX$458
-57.57%
Cinema Ticket
$10.05€8.59
$6.27MX$109
60.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Mexico City
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$343€293
$436MX$7,588
-21.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,372€7,150
$10.5KMX$182.1K
-20.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Mexico City
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.8€71.6
$56.8MX$988
47.62%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.82€28.89
$44.79MX$779
-24.49%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$87.2€74.5
$103MX$1,789
-15.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.5€59.4
$108MX$1,878
-35.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Mexico City
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,157€988
$1,000MX$17.4K
15.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$954€815
$620MX$10.8K
53.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,628€1,390
$2,137MX$37.2K
-23.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,298€1,108
$1,235MX$21.5K
5.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,933€3,359
$3,865MX$67.3K
1.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,283€1,950
$2,332MX$40.6K
-2.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Mexico City
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,926€1,645
$1,067MX$18.6K
80.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.5
11.34
-69.14%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Santa Cruz de Tenerife: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Mexico City: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,157 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Santa Cruz de Tenerife pays 81% 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: $58.0 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife vs $53.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $286, with Santa Cruz de Tenerife cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Santa Cruz de Tenerife vs Mexico City: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Mexico City?
Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Mexico City differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,861 vs $1,484 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Mexico City?
Santa Cruz de Tenerife pays 81% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,157 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Mexico City?
A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 86% less than in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $343 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,861 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Mexico City?
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.
Is Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Mexico City safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 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.
Where should expats move: Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado