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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,723 per month in Budva vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,769 per month in Budva vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,815 per month in Budva vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Budva costs about 17% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Budva and Mexico City sit above the global median – Budva by 29%, Mexico City by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 €14.21

$13.18 MX$228

25.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 €56.6

$53.9 MX$932

22.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.51 €9.90

$9.42 MX$163

22.19%

Cappuccino

$2.86 €2.46

$3.55 MX$61.4

-19.44%

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

$2.20 €1.89

$1.62 MX$27.98

35.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.11 MX$19.27

28.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 €2.96

$3.12 MX$54.0

10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 €3.27

$4.63 MX$80.1

-17.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.70 MX$29.43

-19.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 €0.95

$2.72 MX$47.02

-59.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.91 MX$33.07

24.08%

Eggs

$3.26 €2.81

$2.54 MX$43.86

28.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.03 €7.77

$10.03 MX$174

-9.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.02 €6.90

$8.09 MX$140

-0.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.86 €10.21

$11.62 MX$201

2.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 €1.12

$2.97 MX$51.3

-56.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$1.81 MX$31.24

-1.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 €1.44

$2.01 MX$34.82

-16.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.93 €2.52

$2.03 MX$35.20

44.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 €0.89

$2.12 MX$36.75

-50.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 €1.08

$2.27 MX$39.25

-44.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.40 MX$24.22

22.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.13 MX$19.55

4.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 €3.86

$4.27 MX$73.9

4.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.56 €5.64

$15.56 MX$269

-57.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.76 MX$30.39

-27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 €1.48

$3.60 MX$62.2

-52.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.97

$0.38 MX$6.62

502.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.39 €34.75

$19.18 MX$332

110.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 €1.01

$1.38 MX$23.79

-14.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 €0.88

$0.28 MX$4.78

264.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.20 €14.80

$5.45 MX$94.2

215.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.30 MX$22.55

36.92%

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

$29.8K €25.7K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

59.72%

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

$26.2K €22.6K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

13.45%

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

$159 €137

$40.86 MX$707

289.82%

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

$18.52 €15.93

$26.81 MX$464

-30.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.49 €28.81

$29.96 MX$518

11.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 €51.8

$52.0 MX$900

15.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.86 €20.52

$26.84 MX$464

-11.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 €4.89

$6.30 MX$109

-9.84%

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

$419 €361

$436 MX$7,544

-3.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K €8,803

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-1.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 €101

$56.7 MX$980

107.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.05 €42.19

$44.38 MX$768

10.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 €96.1

$103 MX$1,780

8.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$206 €177

$106 MX$1,825

95.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$938 €807

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-8.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 €601

$631 MX$10.9K

10.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,748 €1,503

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-18.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,415 €1,217

$1,243 MX$21.5K

13.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,240 €3,648

$3,903 MX$67.5K

8.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,169 €2,726

$2,064 MX$35.7K

53.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 €900

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-6.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

11.34

-47.71%

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

Last update for Budva: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $938 in Budva versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 7% higher in Mexico City, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Budva versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Budva vs $288 in Mexico City – so Budva wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,723 in Budva, $1,467 in Mexico City – roughly 17% apart. Budva costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,584 per month in Budva and $2,201 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,723 in Budva and $1,467 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 111% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,467, than in Budva at $1,723. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budva it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,467 in Mexico City to $1,723 in Budva. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budva makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.