Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP: $835 a month against $1,548 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

40

Cost of Living Index in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP
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Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

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Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP

🇧🇷 Brazil

$835

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,548

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP 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 Jose do Rio Preto SP and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $835 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP versus $1,548 in Mexico City.

Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP $835
Mexico City $1,548

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,288 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP versus $2,436 in Mexico City.

Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP $1,288
Mexico City $2,436

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,742 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP versus $3,323 in Mexico City.

Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP $1,742
Mexico City $3,323

Living in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP costs roughly 46% less than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP is 38% below, Mexico City is 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 R$22.44

$11.02 MX$204

-59.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.29 R$138

$48.68 MX$900

-43.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 R$45.98

$10.90 MX$201

-16.79%

Cappuccino

$2.37 R$12.02

$3.68 MX$68.1

-35.60%

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

$1.32 R$6.69

$1.63 MX$30.18

-19.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 R$4.06

$1.25 MX$23.07

-36.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 R$9.88

$3.25 MX$60.1

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 R$17.96

$5.53 MX$102

-35.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 R$4.34

$1.70 MX$31.50

-49.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 R$8.97

$3.02 MX$55.8

-41.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 R$5.95

$1.92 MX$35.53

-39.06%

Eggs

$2.03 R$10.28

$2.73 MX$50.5

-25.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.77 R$34.33

$11.77 MX$218

-42.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 R$21.48

$9.53 MX$176

-55.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.65 R$33.73

$14.41 MX$266

-53.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 R$11.71

$3.02 MX$55.8

-23.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.77

$1.89 MX$35.01

-39.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 R$4.20

$1.99 MX$36.70

-58.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 R$7.05

$2.19 MX$40.38

-36.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.60

$1.92 MX$35.43

-32.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 R$6.00

$1.87 MX$34.49

-36.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 R$4.93

$1.44 MX$26.62

-32.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.19

$1.27 MX$23.39

-50.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 R$9.95

$5.22 MX$96.4

-62.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.14 R$36.19

$16.17 MX$299

-55.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 R$5.51

$1.90 MX$35.03

-42.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 R$11.77

$4.22 MX$78.0

-45.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 R$5.63

$0.34 MX$6.30

226.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.19 R$148

$19.65 MX$363

48.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 R$3.17

$2.00 MX$36.90

-68.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 R$3.90

$0.52 MX$9.67

48.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 R$34.50

$5.34 MX$98.7

27.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R$6.11

$1.52 MX$28.13

-20.39%

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

$22.9K R$115.9K

$22.1K MX$408.0K

3.59%

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

$30.4K R$154.3K

$24.5K MX$452.9K

24.21%

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

$66.4 R$337

$61.1 MX$1,129

8.69%

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

$13.68 R$69.4

$28.58 MX$528

-52.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.93 R$96.0

$34.47 MX$637

-45.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.99 R$111

$56.4 MX$1,042

-60.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.77 R$100

$24.88 MX$460

-20.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 R$19.85

$6.66 MX$123

-41.14%

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

$274 R$1,390

$427 MX$7,891

-35.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,947 R$40.3K

$11.6K MX$215.0K

-31.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 R$332

$67.8 MX$1,253

-3.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 R$283

$52.0 MX$960

7.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 R$455

$106 MX$1,959

-15.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.32 R$230

$113 MX$2,080

-59.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 R$2,139

$1,025 MX$18.9K

-58.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 R$1,343

$654 MX$12.1K

-59.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$603 R$3,055

$2,308 MX$42.7K

-73.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 R$2,336

$1,242 MX$22.9K

-62.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,150 R$10.9K

$3,613 MX$66.8K

-40.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$835 R$4,231

$1,936 MX$35.8K

-56.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$537 R$2,724

$964 MX$17.8K

-44.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.23

11.3

-27.17%

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

Last update for Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP: October 19, 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 Jose do Rio Preto SP

$265 31.7%

Mexico City

$654 42.3% 147% $389

Groceries & Markets

Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP

$171 20.5%

Mexico City

$318 20.6% 85.7% $147

Eating Out

Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP

$116 13.9%

Mexico City

$204 13.2% 75.1% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP

$115 13.8%

Mexico City

$152 9.8% 32% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP

$99 11.9%

Mexico City

$124 8% 25.4% $25

Getting Around

Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP

$38 4.6%

Mexico City

$26 1.7% 32.7% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP

$30 3.6%

Mexico City

$70 4.5% 134% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $422 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP and $1,025 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 79% 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: $27.00 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP vs $49.00 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $318 per month, with Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

07:54 7:54 AM

04:54 4:54 AM

3 h behind Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

480,393

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP Mexico City 7,020 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP
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 Jose do Rio Preto SP vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP and Mexico City differ by about 85% in total monthly costs ($835 vs $1,548 including rent). Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 79% 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: $422 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP versus $1,025 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP runs roughly 49% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $274 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $835 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP versus $1,548 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP 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 Jose do Rio Preto SP gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.