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: $1,766 in Santa Rita versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,102 in Santa Rita versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,437 in Santa Rita versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Santa Rita is roughly 5% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Rita 28% above, Mexico City 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.66 $19.66

$12.14 MX$205

61.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.7 $76.7

$53.9 MX$911

42.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 $6.09

$11.09 MX$187

-45.09%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$4.10 MX$69.3

25.12%

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

$2.48 $2.48

$1.68 MX$28.44

47.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.39 MX$23.47

75.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 $8.03

$3.33 MX$56.3

141.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.02 $10.02

$5.88 MX$99.4

70.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.85 MX$31.30

104.32%

White Bread (500g)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.17 MX$53.6

38.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.07 MX$35.01

31.40%

Eggs

$3.85 $3.85

$2.93 MX$49.51

31.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.66 $19.66

$12.59 MX$213

56.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.67 $6.67

$10.11 MX$171

-34.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.80 $9.80

$16.09 MX$272

-39.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$3.39 MX$57.3

45.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.08 MX$35.14

29.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.85

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.41 MX$40.82

87.14%

Potato (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$2.13 MX$36.00

97.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.01 MX$33.90

43.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.55 MX$26.13

25.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.08

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.5

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$300

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.07 MX$35.00

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$4.61 MX$78.0

-63.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.19

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$358

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.73

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.75

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.40 $32.40

$6.07 MX$103

433.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.55 MX$26.25

-10.32%

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

$22.9K MX$386.8K

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

$27.2K MX$460.5K

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

$259 $259

$67.4 MX$1,140

284.79%

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

$89.8 $89.8

$30.62 MX$518

193.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.2 $81.2

$37.24 MX$630

118.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 $98.6

$61.5 MX$1,039

60.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$459

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$120

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

$456 MX$7,714

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$231.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,255

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$964

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,951

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,055

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$913 $913

$1,148 MX$19.4K

-20.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 $610

$709 MX$12.0K

-13.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,004 $2,004

$2,577 MX$43.6K

-22.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,954 $1,954

$1,295 MX$21.9K

50.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$304 $304

$2,130 MX$36.0K

-85.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,586 $5,586

$1,082 MX$18.3K

416.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Santa Rita: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $913 in Santa Rita and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Rita pays 416% 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: $77.0 in Santa Rita vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $336 vs $345, with Santa Rita cheaper for home cooking.

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 5% in total monthly costs ($1,766 vs $1,677 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 416% 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: $913 in Santa Rita versus $1,148 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 $77.0 in Santa Rita. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,766 per month in Santa Rita versus $1,677 in Mexico City – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,766 in Santa Rita, a $3,000 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 5% less than in Santa Rita. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.