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Mexico City vs San Francisco cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฒ๐ฝ Mexico City
๐บ๐ธ San Francisco
At a glance
- Where Mexico City is clearly cheaper: Transit (91%โ), Entry ticket (82%โ), Haircut (75%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
San Francisco is easier to travel (1.6 vs 2.8). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Mexico City 3 vs San Francisco 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Mexico City | San Francisco | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | MX$ 160$8.6 | $ 25$25 | Mexico City โ66% |
| Street food1 item | MX$ 75$4.03 | $ 15$15 | Mexico City โ73% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | MX$ 450$24.2 | $ 55$55 | Mexico City โ56% |
| Coffeeone cup | MX$ 70$3.76 | $ 6.5$6.5 | Mexico City โ42% |
| Beerone bottle | MX$ 60$3.23 | $ 9$9 | Mexico City โ64% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | MX$ 200$10.8 | $ 17$17 | Mexico City โ37% |
| Bottled water | MX$ 15$0.81 | $ 2.5$2.5 | Mexico City โ68% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | MX$ 25$1.34 | $ 3$3 | Mexico City โ55% |
| Taxi5 km in town | MX$ 100$5.38 | $ 16$16 | Mexico City โ66% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | MX$ 65$3.49 | $ 11$11 | Mexico City โ68% |
| Transitone ride | MX$ 5$0.27 | $ 2.85$2.85 | Mexico City โ91% |
| Scooter rentalper day | MX$ 272$14.6 | $ 45$45 | Mexico City โ68% |
| Hotel night3-star | MX$ 1,900$102 | $ 200$200 | Mexico City โ49% |
| Studio rent (month) | MX$ 19,000$1,022 | $ 3,300$3,300 | Mexico City โ69% |
| Laundry | MX$ 30$1.61 | $ 5$5 | Mexico City โ68% |
| SIM card1 week data | MX$ 200$10.8 | $ 25$25 | Mexico City โ57% |
| Haircutcut | MX$ 180$9.68 | $ 38$38 | Mexico City โ75% |
| Massage1 hour | MX$ 700$37.6 | $ 110$110 | Mexico City โ66% |
| Half-day tourper person | MX$ 600$32.3 | $ 70$70 | Mexico City โ54% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | MX$ 120$6.45 | $ 35$35 | Mexico City โ82% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Mexico City or San Francisco?
Mexico City is 62% cheaper than San Francisco. Daily budget $177 vs $391; a month $3,443 vs $10,400.
Which is easier to travel, Mexico City or San Francisco?
San Francisco is easier: San Francisco 1.6/5 vs Mexico City 2.8/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Mexico City and San Francisco?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Mexico City is about $3,443 and San Francisco about $10,400 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.