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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $999 in Bihac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,440 in Bihac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,880 in Bihac.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 47% more expensive than Bihac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Bihac is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$6.88 BAM 11.57

91.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$29.91 BAM 50.3

80.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$5.76 BAM 9.68

63.54%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$1.16 BAM 1.94

206.03%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.16 BAM 1.94

39.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.86 BAM 1.44

29.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.50 BAM 2.52

108.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$1.74 BAM 2.92

166.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.34 BAM 2.24

26.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.11 BAM 1.87

145.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$2.38 BAM 4.01

-19.75%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.87 BAM 4.83

-11.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$10.16 BAM 17.06

-1.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$7.32 BAM 12.30

10.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$11.57 BAM 19.44

0.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.74 BAM 2.92

70.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.61 BAM 2.71

12.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.90 BAM 3.20

5.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$2.07 BAM 3.48

-1.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.15 BAM 1.93

84.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.44 BAM 2.42

57.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.92 BAM 1.54

52.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.86 BAM 1.45

31.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$3.50 BAM 5.88

22.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$8.36 BAM 14.04

86.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.25 BAM 2.10

40.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.01 BAM 3.38

79.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$1.81 BAM 3.05

-79.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$35.05 BAM 58.9

-45.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$1.20 BAM 2.02

15.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.77 BAM 1.30

-63.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$10.75 BAM 18.06

-49.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.49 BAM 2.51

-12.75%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$23.7K BAM 39.9K

-21.30%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$26.2K BAM 44.0K

-11.73%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$210 BAM 352

-80.50%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$19.23 BAM 32.30

39.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$21.97 BAM 36.92

36.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$29.75 BAM 49.97

74.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$10.88 BAM 18.28

146.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$5.55 BAM 9.32

13.51%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$150 BAM 251

191.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$2,937 BAM 4,935

254.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$29.33 BAM 49.28

93.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$17.54 BAM 29.46

153.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$98.5 BAM 166

4.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$118 BAM 198

-10.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$222 BAM 372

361.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$206 BAM 347

205.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$308 BAM 518

592.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$280 BAM 471

343.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,492 BAM 2,507

161.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,326 BAM 2,228

55.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$806 BAM 1,354

38.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.14

173.91%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bihac: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $222 in Bihac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 38% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $30.00 in Bihac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $231 per month, with Bihac 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

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

Mexico City and Bihac differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $999 including rent). Bihac is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 38% 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $222 in Bihac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bihac – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $999 in Bihac – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $999 in Bihac versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bihac but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Bihac 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, Mexico City and Bihac 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 Bihac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.