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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $983 in Bihac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,455 in Bihac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,927 in Bihac.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 48% more expensive than in Bihac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Bihac is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$7.26 BAM 12.43

80.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$29.94 BAM 51.3

79.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$5.57 BAM 9.53

73.79%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.20 BAM 2.06

211.67%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.15 BAM 1.96

40.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.89 BAM 1.52

30.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.50 BAM 2.56

115.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$1.81 BAM 3.10

161.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.38 BAM 2.37

19.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.05 BAM 1.80

161.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$2.30 BAM 3.95

-18.70%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.80 BAM 4.80

-10.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$10.08 BAM 17.27

1.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$7.41 BAM 12.69

11.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$11.20 BAM 19.18

5.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.82 BAM 3.11

65.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.69 BAM 2.89

7.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.91 BAM 3.28

4.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$2.03 BAM 3.48

-1.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.19 BAM 2.05

74.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.45 BAM 2.48

56.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.96 BAM 1.65

52.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.91 BAM 1.56

18.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$3.60 BAM 6.16

20.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$8.15 BAM 13.96

108.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.25 BAM 2.13

38.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.08 BAM 3.56

72.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.76 BAM 3.02

-77.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$35.05 BAM 60.0

-46.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$1.21 BAM 2.07

9.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.82 BAM 1.41

-65.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$10.75 BAM 18.42

-51.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.48 BAM 2.54

-9.46%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$23.6K BAM 40.4K

-17.78%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$25.9K BAM 44.3K

-7.94%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$205 BAM 350

-80.10%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$18.94 BAM 32.44

41.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$21.90 BAM 37.51

39.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$29.93 BAM 51.3

76.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$10.82 BAM 18.53

146.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$5.71 BAM 9.77

14.01%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$146 BAM 250

193.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$2,926 BAM 5,012

258.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$29.42 BAM 50.4

94.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$17.60 BAM 30.15

158.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$99.6 BAM 171

4.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$118 BAM 202

-8.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$223 BAM 382

350.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$210 BAM 359

196.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$308 BAM 528

584.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$284 BAM 487

328.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$1,486 BAM 2,545

161.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$1,316 BAM 2,253

54.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$773 BAM 1,324

34.21%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bihac: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $223 in Bihac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 34% 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 $292 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 48% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $983 including rent). Bihac is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 34% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $223 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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $983 in Bihac – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $983 in Bihac versus $1,456 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 48% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.