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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $797 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $1,481 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,274 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $2,352 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,751 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $3,222 in Mexico City.

Living in Sao Joao da Boa Vista costs roughly 46% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sao Joao da Boa Vista is 40% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 R$27.66

$13.16 MX$229

-58.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.49 R$134

$53.6 MX$932

-50.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.78 R$29.26

$9.55 MX$166

-39.48%

Cappuccino

$1.99 R$10.06

$3.72 MX$64.8

-46.51%

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

$1.20 R$6.09

$1.57 MX$27.28

-23.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 R$4.74

$1.16 MX$20.12

-18.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 R$10.42

$3.18 MX$55.4

-35.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R$14.00

$4.63 MX$80.6

-40.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 R$4.63

$1.71 MX$29.67

-46.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 R$7.88

$2.62 MX$45.54

-40.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 R$6.98

$1.89 MX$32.87

-26.98%

Eggs

$2.96 R$14.98

$2.60 MX$45.17

13.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.85 R$65.0

$9.91 MX$172

29.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 R$20.88

$8.22 MX$143

-49.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.55 R$43.27

$11.78 MX$205

-27.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.11

$3.00 MX$52.1

-46.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.30

$1.80 MX$31.32

-31.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 R$10.51

$2.07 MX$36.08

0.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 R$8.81

$1.97 MX$34.23

-11.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.43

$2.07 MX$36.05

-38.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.51

$2.17 MX$37.84

-40.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R$5.50

$1.40 MX$24.41

-22.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 R$2.18

$1.07 MX$18.70

-59.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.12 R$10.71

$4.12 MX$71.7

-48.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.73 R$28.97

$17.42 MX$303

-67.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 R$7.14

$1.68 MX$29.16

-16.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 R$10.83

$3.65 MX$63.5

-41.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 R$4.62

$0.38 MX$6.62

139.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.74 R$196

$18.71 MX$326

107.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 R$6.54

$1.33 MX$23.13

-3.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R$5.11

$0.30 MX$5.27

236.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.54 R$33.10

$5.51 MX$95.9

18.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 R$4.20

$1.31 MX$22.72

-36.64%

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

$20.8K R$105.4K

$19.2K MX$333.5K

8.76%

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

$28.8K R$145.7K

$23.7K MX$413.3K

21.29%

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

$85.7 R$434

$41.14 MX$716

108.39%

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

$12.15 R$61.5

$27.74 MX$483

-56.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.76 R$89.8

$30.13 MX$524

-41.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.56 R$114

$53.7 MX$935

-58.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.94 R$111

$25.98 MX$452

-15.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.58 R$23.17

$6.49 MX$113

-29.43%

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

$288 R$1,459

$437 MX$7,598

-33.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,958 R$40.3K

$10.5K MX$182.0K

-23.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.08 R$233

$58.3 MX$1,015

-21.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.84 R$202

$45.86 MX$798

-13.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.42 R$199

$101 MX$1,765

-61.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.75 R$206

$107 MX$1,854

-61.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$319 R$1,614

$1,005 MX$17.5K

-68.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 R$1,102

$634 MX$11.0K

-65.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 R$2,986

$2,148 MX$37.4K

-72.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 R$2,171

$1,247 MX$21.7K

-65.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,725 R$8,727

$3,859 MX$67.2K

-55.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,251 R$6,326

$2,085 MX$36.3K

-40.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$666 R$3,367

$1,072 MX$18.7K

-37.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.82%

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

Last update for Sao Joao da Boa Vista: July 21, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $319 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista and $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 61% 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: $26.00 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $291 per month, with Sao Joao da Boa Vista 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

Sao Joao da Boa Vista vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Joao da Boa Vista and Mexico City differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($797 vs $1,481 including rent). Sao Joao da Boa Vista is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 61% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $319 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sao Joao da Boa Vista runs roughly 107% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $288 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $437 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $797 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $1,481 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.

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 Sao Joao da Boa Vista gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.