Cost of Living Comparison Between Sterling and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Sterling and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,699 in Sterling versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,188 in Sterling versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,677 in Sterling versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Sterling is roughly 63% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sterling 97% above, Mexico City 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.71 $13.71

$11.92 MX$206

15.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 $74.3

$51.6 MX$890

43.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 $10.65

$11.41 MX$197

-6.66%

Cappuccino

$5.93 $5.93

$3.99 MX$68.9

48.62%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$1.66 MX$28.61

63.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.33 MX$22.87

93.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.65 $5.65

$3.47 MX$59.9

62.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$5.90 MX$102

36.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.88 MX$32.36

-43.09%

White Bread (500g)

$4.21 $4.21

$3.25 MX$56.1

29.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$2.16 MX$37.26

135.65%

Eggs

$5.61 $5.61

$2.90 MX$49.94

93.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 $16.30

$12.86 MX$222

26.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.77 $14.77

$10.05 MX$173

46.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.15 $19.15

$15.86 MX$273

20.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$3.29 MX$56.8

44.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.01 MX$34.60

-14.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$2.20 MX$37.93

175.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 $5.27

$2.36 MX$40.63

123.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.05 MX$35.43

49.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.90 MX$32.79

24.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.61 MX$27.68

30.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.40 MX$24.09

93.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.18 $10.18

$5.46 MX$94.2

86.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 $14.06

$17.65 MX$304

-20.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.06 MX$35.44

-14.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.68 MX$80.8

10.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.09 $5.09

$0.34 MX$5.84

1397.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.10 MX$36.15

41.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.56 MX$9.64

153.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.76 $22.76

$5.81 MX$100

291.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.61 MX$27.68

-37.27%

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

$23.0K $23.0K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

0.60%

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

$22.9K $22.9K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

-14.41%

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

$98.2 $98.2

$65.2 MX$1,124

50.72%

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

$49.64 $49.64

$30.09 MX$519

64.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.1 $73.1

$37.18 MX$641

96.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.63 $28.63

$59.8 MX$1,030

-52.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$17.19 $17.19

$7.04 MX$121

144.18%

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

$1,894 $1,894

$465 MX$8,012

307.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.8K $31.8K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

139.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.60 $47.60

$75.9 MX$1,308

-37.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.60 $44.60

$56.0 MX$965

-20.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 $85.0

$112 MX$1,929

-23.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.6 $89.6

$121 MX$2,078

-25.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 $1,255

$1,103 MX$19.0K

13.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 $1,482

$721 MX$12.4K

105.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,000 $2,000

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-20.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,869 $2,869

$1,293 MX$22.3K

121.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,280 $3,280

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-17.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,409 $2,409

$2,090 MX$36.0K

15.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,739 $3,739

$1,037 MX$17.9K

260.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

11.3

-43.89%

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

Last update for Sterling: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,255 in Sterling and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sterling pays 260% 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: $74.0 in Sterling vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $463 vs $345 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

Sterling vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sterling and Mexico City differ by about 63% in total monthly costs ($2,699 vs $1,660 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 260% higher in Sterling, 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: $1,255 in Sterling versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,894 in Sterling versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $74.0 in Sterling. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,660 in Mexico City versus $2,699 in Sterling, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Sterling. 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, Sterling 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 63% less than in Sterling. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.