Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Fe, NM and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Fe, NM and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,978 in Santa Fe, NM versus $1,668 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,979 in Santa Fe, NM versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,980 in Santa Fe, NM versus $3,557 in Mexico City.

Living in Santa Fe, NM is roughly 79% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Fe, NM 121% above, Mexico City 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.82 $16.82

$12.03 MX$216

39.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.9 $64.9

$52.8 MX$949

22.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.08 $10.08

$11.69 MX$210

-13.77%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$3.87 MX$69.6

32.56%

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

$2.85 $2.85

$1.75 MX$31.45

62.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.39 MX$25.06

73.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.36 MX$60.4

82.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$5.77 MX$104

18.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.81 MX$32.45

-44.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.08 MX$55.4

1.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.13 MX$38.27

112.68%

Eggs

$4.31 $4.31

$2.98 MX$53.5

44.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.89 $11.89

$12.53 MX$225

-5.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 $9.25

$10.24 MX$184

-9.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.62 $16.62

$15.92 MX$286

4.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.39 MX$60.8

38.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.11 MX$37.85

-32.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.13 MX$38.22

75.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.47 MX$44.33

79.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.04 MX$36.62

53.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.01 MX$36.18

4.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.59 MX$28.61

28.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.33 MX$23.89

86.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.54 $10.54

$5.49 MX$98.6

91.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.24 $16.24

$17.52 MX$315

-7.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.01 MX$36.20

1.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.74 MX$85.2

-25.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$379

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.05 MX$36.88

73.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.61 MX$10.93

222.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.73 $31.73

$5.70 MX$102

456.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.59 MX$28.56

-38.99%

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

$31.0K $31.0K

$22.9K MX$411.3K

35.58%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$26.4K MX$473.9K

-4.52%

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

$157 $157

$64.2 MX$1,154

144.15%

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

$44.00 $44.00

$29.42 MX$529

49.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.6 $73.6

$36.83 MX$662

99.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.4 $86.4

$58.7 MX$1,055

47.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$477

Cinema Ticket

$13.22 $13.22

$6.95 MX$125

90.22%

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

$1,338 $1,338

$463 MX$8,316

189.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K $15.2K

$13.4K MX$240.1K

13.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 $53.9

$75.4 MX$1,355

-28.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$54.2 MX$974

-18.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.4 $81.4

$111 MX$1,997

-26.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$122 MX$2,195

-2.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,275 $2,275

$1,133 MX$20.4K

100.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 $1,690

$698 MX$12.5K

141.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,597 $3,597

$2,442 MX$43.9K

47.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 $2,276

$1,303 MX$23.4K

74.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,742 $6,742

$3,910 MX$70.2K

72.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,138 $4,138

$2,069 MX$37.2K

99.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,776 $3,776

$1,052 MX$18.9K

258.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.05

11.3

-46.46%

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

Last update for Santa Fe, NM: September 21, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,275 in Santa Fe, NM and $1,133 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Fe, NM pays 259% 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: $65.0 in Santa Fe, NM vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 vs $343 per month, with Mexico City 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

Santa Fe, NM vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Fe, NM and Mexico City differ by about 79% in total monthly costs ($2,978 vs $1,668 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 259% higher in Santa Fe, NM, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,275 in Santa Fe, NM versus $1,133 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,338 in Santa Fe, NM versus $463 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 Mexico City – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $65.0 in Santa Fe, NM. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,668 in Mexico City versus $2,978 in Santa Fe, NM, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Santa Fe, NM. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Santa Fe, NM. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.