Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Joao da Boa Vista and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Joao da Boa Vista: $821 a month against $1,548 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sao Joao da Boa Vista
🇧🇷 Brazil
$821
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sao Joao da Boa Vista and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sao Joao da Boa Vista and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $821 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $1,548 in Mexico City.

  • Sao Joao da Boa Vista $821
  • Mexico City $1,548

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,320 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $2,436 in Mexico City.

  • Sao Joao da Boa Vista $1,320
  • Mexico City $2,436

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,819 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $3,323 in Mexico City.

  • Sao Joao da Boa Vista $1,819
  • Mexico City $3,323

Living in Sao Joao da Boa Vista costs roughly 47% less than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sao Joao da Boa Vista is 39% below, Mexico City is 14% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sao Joao da Boa Vista
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.54 R$28.07
$11.02 MX$204
-49.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.20 R$118
$48.68 MX$900
-52.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.12 R$36.09
$10.90 MX$201
-34.68%
Cappuccino
$1.97 R$10.00
$3.68 MX$68.1
-46.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 R$6.25
$1.63 MX$30.18
-24.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 R$4.77
$1.25 MX$23.07
-24.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.01 R$10.21
$3.25 MX$60.1
-38.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 R$10.34
$5.53 MX$102
-63.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sao Joao da Boa Vista
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.08 R$5.49
$1.70 MX$31.50
-36.47%
White Bread (500g)
$1.62 R$8.21
$3.02 MX$55.8
-46.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.98 R$4.95
$1.92 MX$35.53
-48.96%
Eggs
$2.43 R$12.32
$2.73 MX$50.5
-10.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.06 R$51.0
$11.77 MX$218
-14.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.93 R$25.01
$9.53 MX$176
-48.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.12 R$51.3
$14.41 MX$266
-29.77%
Apples (1kg)
$1.95 R$9.87
$3.02 MX$55.8
-35.43%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 R$6.21
$1.89 MX$35.01
-35.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.99 R$5.00
$1.99 MX$36.70
-50.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.62 R$8.20
$2.19 MX$40.38
-26.03%
Potato (1kg)
$0.81 R$4.12
$1.92 MX$35.43
-57.81%
Onion (1kg)
$0.76 R$3.85
$1.87 MX$34.49
-59.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.84 R$4.24
$1.44 MX$26.62
-41.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 R$3.99
$1.27 MX$23.39
-37.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.46 R$12.45
$5.22 MX$96.4
-52.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.16 R$31.22
$16.17 MX$299
-61.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 R$5.99
$1.90 MX$35.03
-37.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 R$9.76
$4.22 MX$78.0
-54.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Sao Joao da Boa Vista
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 R$4.74
$0.34 MX$6.30
173.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.70 R$222
$19.65 MX$363
122.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.59 R$8.08
$2.00 MX$36.90
-20.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.59 R$8.04
$0.52 MX$9.67
205.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.88 R$39.94
$5.34 MX$98.7
47.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.03 R$5.20
$1.52 MX$28.13
-32.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.9K R$100.9K
$22.1K MX$408.0K
-9.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.1K R$167.9K
$24.5K MX$452.9K
35.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sao Joao da Boa Vista
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$95.4 R$484
$61.1 MX$1,129
56.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.11 R$51.2
$28.58 MX$528
-64.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.34 R$103
$34.47 MX$637
-40.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sao Joao da Boa Vista
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.42 R$144
$56.4 MX$1,042
-49.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.82 R$141
$24.88 MX$460
11.82%
Cinema Ticket
$5.46 R$27.66
$6.66 MX$123
-18.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sao Joao da Boa Vista
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$283 R$1,434
$427 MX$7,891
-33.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.1K R$51.3K
$11.6K MX$215.0K
-13.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sao Joao da Boa Vista
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8 R$278
$67.8 MX$1,253
-19.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.51 R$190
$52.0 MX$960
-27.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$53.0 R$269
$106 MX$1,959
-49.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.7 R$303
$113 MX$2,080
-46.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sao Joao da Boa Vista
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$354 R$1,794
$1,025 MX$18.9K
-65.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$201 R$1,019
$654 MX$12.1K
-69.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$663 R$3,359
$2,308 MX$42.7K
-71.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$469 R$2,375
$1,242 MX$22.9K
-62.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,729 R$8,765
$3,613 MX$66.8K
-52.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,214 R$6,156
$1,936 MX$35.8K
-37.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sao Joao da Boa Vista
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$670 R$3,396
$964 MX$17.8K
-30.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.79
11.3
13.19%

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

Last update for Sao Joao da Boa Vista: October 18, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sao Joao da Boa Vista
$201
Mexico City
$654 225% $453
Groceries & Markets
Sao Joao da Boa Vista
$194
Mexico City
$318 64.1% $124
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sao Joao da Boa Vista
$126
Mexico City
$124 1.4% $1.7
Eating Out
Sao Joao da Boa Vista
$112
Mexico City
$204 81.7% $92
Clothing & Footwear
Sao Joao da Boa Vista
$92
Mexico City
$152 65% $60
Getting Around
Sao Joao da Boa Vista
$57
Mexico City
$26 55% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Sao Joao da Boa Vista
$39
Mexico City
$70 77.2% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $354 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista and $1,025 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 44% 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: $23.00 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista vs $49.00 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $318 per month, with Sao Joao da Boa Vista cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Sao Joao da Boa Vista
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
05:50 5:50 AM
02:50 2:50 AM
3 h behind Sao Joao da Boa Vista
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
92,547
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sao Joao da Boa Vista Mexico City 7,320 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sao Joao da Boa Vista
  • Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Sao Joao da Boa Vista vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sao Joao da Boa Vista and in Mexico City?
Sao Joao da Boa Vista and Mexico City differ by about 88% in total monthly costs ($821 vs $1,548 including rent). Sao Joao da Boa Vista is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 44% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Sao Joao da Boa Vista and in Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $354 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $1,025 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Sao Joao da Boa Vista and in Mexico City?
A monthly transit pass in Sao Joao da Boa Vista runs roughly 122% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Sao Joao da Boa Vista and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $283 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $427 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 $1,500 per month?
At $821 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $1,548 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sao Joao da Boa Vista but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Joao da Boa Vista the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Sao Joao da Boa Vista 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.
Where should expats move: Sao Joao da Boa Vista or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Sao Joao da Boa Vista gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Sao Joao da Boa Vista vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?