Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,153 in St John versus $1,466 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,797 in St John versus $2,325 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,442 in St John versus $3,184 in Mexico City.

Living in St John is roughly 115% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: St John 135% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.21 $17.21

$13.30 MX$231

29.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$163 $163

$53.8 MX$932

203.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.37 $8.37

$9.42 MX$163

-11.15%

Cappuccino

$6.48 $6.48

$3.59 MX$62.3

80.50%

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

$3.01 $3.01

$1.62 MX$28.13

85.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.12 MX$19.49

83.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.34 $6.34

$3.25 MX$56.3

95.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 $7.03

$4.65 MX$80.6

51.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.64 MX$28.37

76.22%

White Bread (500g)

$5.63 $5.63

$2.65 MX$46.00

112.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.96 MX$33.99

-22.96%

Eggs

$6.58 $6.58

$2.54 MX$44.08

159.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 $17.69

$9.97 MX$173

77.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.27 $26.27

$8.39 MX$145

213.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 MX$205

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.62

Banana (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$1.73 MX$30.05

194.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.50

Tomato (1kg)

$9.03 $9.03

$2.05 MX$35.51

340.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

Onion (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$2.28 MX$39.54

92.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.85 $4.85

$1.45 MX$25.05

234.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 MX$254

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 $6.04

$3.57 MX$61.8

69.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.82 $5.82

$0.38 MX$6.67

1431.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$18.73 MX$325

642.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.09

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.06 $3.06

$0.30 MX$5.26

920.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$93.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.34 MX$23.22

20.15%

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

$18.9K MX$326.7K

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

$22.6K $22.6K

$23.2K MX$402.0K

-2.51%

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

$249 $249

$40.30 MX$698

518.56%

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

$27.15 MX$471

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.9 $59.9

$29.46 MX$510

103.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 MX$914

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$107

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

$441 MX$7,637

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K $13.7K

$10.7K MX$185.4K

28.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.9 $98.9

$57.2 MX$992

72.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 $60.4

$45.04 MX$781

34.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.1 $50.1

$103 MX$1,793

-51.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 $50.2

$109 MX$1,884

-53.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,179 $2,179

$1,000 MX$17.3K

117.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 $1,816

$632 MX$11.0K

187.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,020 $3,020

$1,253 MX$21.7K

141.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K $13.1K

$3,745 MX$64.9K

249.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,381 MX$41.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,059 $4,059

$1,079 MX$18.7K

276.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.05

11.34

-37.83%

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

Last update for St John: April 20, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,179 in St John and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St John pays 276% 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: $163 in St John vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $418 vs $286 per month, with Mexico City 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

St John vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St John and Mexico City differ by about 115% in total monthly costs ($3,153 vs $1,466 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

St John pays 276% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,179 in St John 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 Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $163 in St John. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 642% less than in St John. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,466 in Mexico City versus $3,153 in St John, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in St John. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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, St John 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in St John. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.