Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Rita and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Rita and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,795 in Santa Rita versus $1,481 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,115 in Santa Rita versus $2,352 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,435 in Santa Rita versus $3,222 in Mexico City.

Living in Santa Rita is roughly 21% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Rita 34% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.40 $20.40

$13.16 MX$230

55.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$53.6 MX$938

41.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 $6.02

$9.55 MX$167

-36.96%

Cappuccino

$4.98 $4.98

$3.72 MX$65.2

33.87%

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

$2.56 $2.56

$1.57 MX$27.45

63.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.16 MX$20.25

120.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 $8.03

$3.18 MX$55.8

152.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.95 $9.95

$4.63 MX$81.1

114.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.89 $3.89

$1.71 MX$29.87

127.49%

White Bread (500g)

$4.40 $4.40

$2.62 MX$45.83

67.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.89 MX$33.08

41.27%

Eggs

$3.86 $3.86

$2.60 MX$45.46

48.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.57 $19.57

$9.91 MX$174

97.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 $6.77

$8.22 MX$144

-17.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 $9.74

$11.78 MX$206

-17.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.00 MX$52.5

62.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.80 MX$31.52

47.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.32

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.97 MX$34.45

128.93%

Potato (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.07 MX$36.29

107.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.17 MX$38.08

27.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.40 MX$24.57

40.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.82

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MX$72.1

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MX$305

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.68 MX$29.35

64.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$3.65 MX$63.9

-53.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.66

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.28

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.17 $32.17

$5.51 MX$96.6

483.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.31 MX$22.87

22.90%

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

$19.2K MX$335.7K

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

$23.7K MX$415.9K

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

$250 $250

$41.14 MX$721

507.71%

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

$89.9 $89.9

$27.74 MX$486

223.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.7 $78.7

$30.13 MX$528

161.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 $101

$53.7 MX$941

88.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$455

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 MX$114

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

$437 MX$7,647

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,022

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 MX$803

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,777

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,866

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 $903

$1,005 MX$17.6K

-10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 $589

$634 MX$11.1K

-7.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,014 $2,014

$2,148 MX$37.6K

-6.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,247 MX$21.8K

55.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$303 $303

$2,085 MX$36.5K

-85.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,577 $5,577

$1,072 MX$18.8K

420.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Santa Rita: July 20, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $903 in Santa Rita and $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Rita pays 420% 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: $76.0 in Santa Rita vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $291 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 Rita vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Rita and Mexico City differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,795 vs $1,481 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 420% higher in Santa Rita, 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: $903 in Santa Rita versus $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $76.0 in Santa Rita. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,795 per month in Santa Rita versus $1,481 in Mexico City – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,481 in Mexico City versus $1,795 in Santa Rita, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Santa Rita. 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.

Safety-wise, Santa Rita 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Santa Rita. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.