Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Tome and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Tome and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,078 in Sao Tome versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,840 in Sao Tome versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,602 in Sao Tome versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Sao Tome costs roughly 27% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sao Tome is 19% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.50 STN 429

$12.98 MX$227

57.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.50 STN 953

$53.1 MX$929

-14.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 STN 211

$9.72 MX$170

3.50%

Cappuccino

$1.75 STN 36.76

$3.75 MX$65.6

-53.33%

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

$1.94 STN 40.72

$1.57 MX$27.46

23.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 STN 24.96

$1.13 MX$19.76

5.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 STN 34.79

$3.18 MX$55.7

-47.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 STN 38.54

$4.66 MX$81.6

-60.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 STN 28.98

$1.62 MX$28.37

-14.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 STN 21.93

$2.71 MX$47.36

-61.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 STN 47.97

$1.88 MX$32.89

21.81%

Eggs

$5.06 STN 106

$2.51 MX$43.90

101.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.51 STN 430

$10.08 MX$176

103.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.85 STN 416

$8.29 MX$145

139.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.91 STN 522

$11.94 MX$209

108.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 STN 94.2

$2.86 MX$50.1

56.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 STN 23.71

$1.75 MX$30.62

-35.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.97 STN 83.2

$2.08 MX$36.48

90.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 STN 70.5

$1.97 MX$34.46

71.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 STN 54.7

$2.16 MX$37.79

20.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 STN 43.77

$2.18 MX$38.16

-4.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 STN 13.97

$1.39 MX$24.34

-51.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 STN 40.97

$1.12 MX$19.69

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 STN 47.14

$4.20 MX$73.5

-46.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.13 STN 170

$14.25 MX$249

-42.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 STN 27.91

$1.76 MX$30.85

-24.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 STN 28.17

$3.68 MX$64.5

-63.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 STN 26.60

$0.39 MX$6.74

225.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.40 STN 302

$5.42 MX$94.9

165.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 STN 34.13

$1.35 MX$23.63

20.74%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

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

$22.7K STN 476.2K

$23.2K MX$405.2K

-1.82%

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

$40.82 MX$714

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

$34.56 STN 724

$27.50 MX$481

25.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.6 STN 1,501

$30.38 MX$532

135.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.62 STN 788

$53.4 MX$935

-29.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.27 STN 613

$26.30 MX$460

11.29%

Cinema Ticket

$20.54 STN 430

$6.27 MX$110

227.59%

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

$436 MX$7,632

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.72 STN 392

$108 MX$1,888

-82.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 STN 7,236

$1,000 MX$17.5K

-65.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 STN 4,889

$620 MX$10.9K

-62.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 STN 14.1K

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-68.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 STN 10.7K

$1,235 MX$21.6K

-58.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,890 STN 39.6K

$3,865 MX$67.6K

-51.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,219 STN 25.5K

$2,332 MX$40.8K

-47.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$272 STN 5,700

$1,067 MX$18.7K

-74.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

11.34

-34.92%

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

Last update for Sao Tome: April 28, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $345 in Sao Tome and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 292% 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: $45.00 in Sao Tome vs $53.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $415 vs $286, with Mexico City 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

Sao Tome vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Tome and Mexico City differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,078 vs $1,484 including rent). Sao Tome is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 292% less. 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: $345 in Sao Tome versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sao Tome – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,078 per month in Sao Tome versus $1,484 in Mexico City – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,078 in Sao Tome versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sao Tome but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Tome 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, Sao Tome 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 Sao Tome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.