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: $1,095 in Sao Tome versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,874 in Sao Tome versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,653 in Sao Tome versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Sao Tome costs roughly 24% 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 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 STN 437

$12.98 MX$223

58.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.22 STN 980

$52.6 MX$903

-12.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 STN 205

$9.43 MX$162

2.76%

Cappuccino

$1.77 STN 37.55

$3.57 MX$61.3

-50.42%

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

$1.93 STN 40.98

$1.61 MX$27.55

19.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 STN 25.14

$1.15 MX$19.81

3.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 STN 34.51

$3.15 MX$54.0

-48.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 STN 38.64

$4.86 MX$83.4

-62.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 STN 28.15

$1.70 MX$29.17

-21.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 STN 21.09

$2.64 MX$45.23

-62.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 STN 47.93

$1.90 MX$32.67

18.95%

Eggs

$5.07 STN 107

$2.54 MX$43.62

99.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.21 STN 428

$10.08 MX$173

100.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.22 STN 429

$8.29 MX$142

143.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.30 STN 536

$11.57 MX$199

118.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 STN 96.7

$3.03 MX$52.0

50.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 STN 24.14

$1.71 MX$29.35

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 STN 87.1

$2.05 MX$35.16

100.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 STN 74.7

$2.06 MX$35.36

70.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 STN 54.1

$2.06 MX$35.43

23.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 STN 43.85

$2.17 MX$37.25

-4.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 STN 14.26

$1.40 MX$24.08

-52.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 STN 40.21

$1.12 MX$19.26

69.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 STN 49.75

$4.29 MX$73.7

-45.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 STN 168

$15.41 MX$265

-48.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 STN 28.36

$1.67 MX$28.74

-19.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 STN 28.33

$3.69 MX$63.3

-63.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 STN 25.74

$0.38 MX$6.55

218.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.14 STN 300

$5.42 MX$92.9

160.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 STN 35.05

$1.28 MX$21.98

28.91%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

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

$22.9K STN 486.4K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

-2.20%

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

$41.02 MX$704

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

$35.35 STN 749

$26.92 MX$462

31.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.6 STN 1,517

$29.69 MX$510

141.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.41 STN 772

$52.3 MX$898

-30.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.09 STN 617

$26.23 MX$450

10.90%

Cinema Ticket

$20.97 STN 445

$6.18 MX$106

239.32%

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

$427 MX$7,331

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.64 STN 395

$106 MX$1,819

-82.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 STN 7,383

$995 MX$17.1K

-64.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 STN 4,838

$621 MX$10.7K

-63.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 STN 13.9K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-69.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 STN 11.1K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-58.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,875 STN 39.7K

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-51.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,170 STN 24.8K

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-44.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$270 STN 5,725

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-75.61%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $348 in Sao Tome and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 310% 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: $46.00 in Sao Tome vs $53.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $416 vs $288, 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 32% in total monthly costs ($1,095 vs $1,447 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 310% 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: $348 in Sao Tome versus $995 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 $46.00 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 $1,095 per month in Sao Tome versus $1,447 in Mexico City – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,095 in Sao Tome versus $1,447 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 32% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.