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: $1,084 in Sao Tome versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,847 in Sao Tome versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,610 in Sao Tome versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Sao Tome costs roughly 26% 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

$20.29 STN 436

$13.14 MX$229

54.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.34 STN 996

$53.5 MX$934

-13.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 STN 213

$9.33 MX$163

6.22%

Cappuccino

$1.75 STN 37.71

$3.70 MX$64.5

-52.70%

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

$1.85 STN 39.79

$1.60 MX$27.98

15.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 STN 24.35

$1.12 MX$19.49

0.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 STN 34.63

$3.14 MX$54.7

-48.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 STN 39.35

$4.85 MX$84.5

-62.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 STN 29.25

$1.65 MX$28.84

-17.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 STN 22.43

$2.71 MX$47.34

-61.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 STN 50.1

$1.91 MX$33.29

21.99%

Eggs

$4.95 STN 107

$2.59 MX$45.17

91.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.97 STN 429

$9.81 MX$171

103.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.99 STN 430

$8.43 MX$147

137.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.18 STN 541

$11.93 MX$208

111.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 STN 101

$2.95 MX$51.5

58.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 STN 24.59

$1.74 MX$30.35

-34.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 STN 88.4

$2.04 MX$35.66

101.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.50 STN 75.2

$2.06 MX$35.93

69.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 STN 55.5

$2.15 MX$37.49

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 STN 43.19

$2.26 MX$39.33

-11.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 STN 14.47

$1.39 MX$24.17

-51.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 STN 42.29

$1.12 MX$19.47

75.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 STN 50.1

$4.22 MX$73.6

-44.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 STN 178

$17.51 MX$305

-52.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 STN 28.41

$1.71 MX$29.82

-22.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 STN 27.53

$3.63 MX$63.4

-64.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 STN 26.19

$0.35 MX$6.15

248.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.00

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.81

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.08 STN 303

$5.28 MX$92.0

166.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 STN 35.37

$1.36 MX$23.69

21.32%

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

$19.1K MX$333.2K

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

$23.1K STN 496.3K

$23.6K MX$411.7K

-2.21%

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

$40.53 MX$707

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

$34.69 STN 746

$27.38 MX$478

26.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.0 STN 1,527

$30.38 MX$530

133.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.70 STN 789

$52.2 MX$911

-29.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.22 STN 628

$26.48 MX$462

10.35%

Cinema Ticket

$20.60 STN 443

$6.19 MX$108

232.79%

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

$425 MX$7,414

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$187.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$777

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,805

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.07 STN 410

$109 MX$1,897

-82.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 STN 7,321

$1,014 MX$17.7K

-66.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 STN 5,034

$623 MX$10.9K

-62.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$671 STN 14.4K

$2,119 MX$37.0K

-68.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 STN 11.4K

$1,223 MX$21.3K

-56.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,863 STN 40.1K

$3,792 MX$66.1K

-50.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,165 STN 25.0K

$2,110 MX$36.8K

-44.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$259 STN 5,579

$1,052 MX$18.4K

-75.34%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $341 in Sao Tome and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 306% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $416 vs $293, 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 36% in total monthly costs ($1,084 vs $1,472 including rent). Sao Tome is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 306% 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: $341 in Sao Tome versus $1,014 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,084 per month in Sao Tome versus $1,472 in Mexico City – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,084 in Sao Tome versus $1,472 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 36% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.