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: $2,702 in Sterling versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,957 in Sterling versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,211 in Sterling versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Sterling is roughly 82% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sterling 102% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 $20.26

$12.98 MX$227

56.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 $84.0

$53.1 MX$929

58.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.22 $13.22

$9.72 MX$170

36.01%

Cappuccino

$5.44 $5.44

$3.75 MX$65.6

45.07%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$1.57 MX$27.46

73.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.13 MX$19.76

105.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 $5.93

$3.18 MX$55.7

86.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.72 $7.72

$4.66 MX$81.6

65.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.62 MX$28.37

-44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.71 MX$47.36

32.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.88 MX$32.89

12.23%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$2.51 MX$43.90

101.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.02 $19.02

$10.08 MX$176

88.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.14 $12.14

$8.29 MX$145

46.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.57 $18.57

$11.94 MX$209

55.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.86 MX$50.1

63.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.75 MX$30.62

-24.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.15 $7.15

$2.08 MX$36.48

243.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.42 $6.42

$1.97 MX$34.46

225.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.16 MX$37.79

64.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.18 MX$38.16

25.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.39 MX$24.34

61.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.12 MX$19.69

113.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.87 $8.87

$4.20 MX$73.5

111.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.73 $13.73

$14.25 MX$249

-3.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.76 MX$30.85

-0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 $4.89

$3.68 MX$64.5

32.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.39 MX$6.74

415.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 $4.39

$1.39 MX$24.26

215.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.30 MX$5.32

363.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.14 $29.14

$5.42 MX$94.9

437.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.35 MX$23.63

-35.56%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$18.9K MX$330.5K

41.60%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$23.2K MX$405.2K

4.87%

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

$212 $212

$40.82 MX$714

418.91%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$27.50 MX$481

94.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$30.38 MX$532

139.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.61 $28.61

$53.4 MX$935

-46.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$14.85 $14.85

$6.27 MX$110

136.84%

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

$1,740 $1,740

$436 MX$7,632

299.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$10.5K MX$183.2K

127.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.46 $47.46

$56.8 MX$993

-16.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.60 $44.60

$44.79 MX$784

-0.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 $97.9

$103 MX$1,799

-4.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$108 MX$1,888

9.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 $1,242

$1,000 MX$17.5K

24.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 $1,362

$620 MX$10.9K

119.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 $1,975

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-7.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 $2,205

$1,235 MX$21.6K

78.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,221 $3,221

$3,865 MX$67.6K

-16.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,375 $2,375

$2,332 MX$40.8K

1.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,819 $3,819

$1,067 MX$18.7K

257.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

11.34

-42.06%

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

Last update for Sterling: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,242 in Sterling and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sterling pays 258% 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: $84.0 in Sterling vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $439 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

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

Sterling and Mexico City differ by about 82% in total monthly costs ($2,702 vs $1,484 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sterling pays 258% 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: $1,242 in Sterling versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,740 in Sterling versus $436 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 $53.0 versus $84.0 in Sterling. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $2,702 in Sterling, a $2,000 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 82% less than in Sterling. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.