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: $1,668 in Mexico City versus $1,008 in Bihac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,473 in Bihac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,557 in Mexico City versus $1,938 in Bihac.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 66% more expensive than in Bihac, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 24% above, Bihac is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.03 MX$213

$7.15 BAM 12.26

68.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 MX$934

$29.94 BAM 51.4

76.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 MX$207

$5.98 BAM 10.26

95.48%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$68.4

$1.15 BAM 1.98

236.52%

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

$1.75 MX$30.94

$1.19 BAM 2.04

47.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$24.65

$0.92 BAM 1.58

51.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 MX$59.4

$1.44 BAM 2.47

133.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MX$102

$1.73 BAM 2.97

233.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$31.92

$1.39 BAM 2.38

30.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$54.5

$1.07 BAM 1.83

187.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.65

$2.37 BAM 4.07

-10.13%

Eggs

$2.98 MX$52.6

$2.92 BAM 5.02

2.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 MX$221

$10.06 BAM 17.26

24.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 MX$181

$7.36 BAM 12.62

39.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 MX$281

$11.60 BAM 19.91

37.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$59.8

$1.80 BAM 3.09

88.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 MX$37.24

$1.79 BAM 3.08

17.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.59

$1.44 BAM 2.46

47.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$43.61

$2.11 BAM 3.61

17.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$36.03

$1.20 BAM 2.06

70.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.59

$1.44 BAM 2.47

39.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MX$28.15

$0.97 BAM 1.66

63.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.50

$0.85 BAM 1.45

56.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 MX$97.0

$3.65 BAM 6.27

50.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 MX$310

$8.29 BAM 14.23

111.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$35.61

$1.31 BAM 2.24

53.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.8

$2.12 BAM 3.63

123.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.94

$1.30 BAM 2.23

-73.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$373

$34.82 BAM 59.8

-39.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$36.28

$1.20 BAM 2.07

70.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.75

$1.04 BAM 1.79

-41.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 MX$101

$10.68 BAM 18.32

-46.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$28.09

$1.48 BAM 2.53

7.43%

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

$22.9K MX$404.6K

$31.6K BAM 54.2K

-27.48%

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

$26.4K MX$466.2K

$22.8K BAM 39.1K

15.72%

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

$64.2 MX$1,135

$204 BAM 351

-68.57%

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

$29.42 MX$520

$19.26 BAM 33.04

52.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MX$651

$22.31 BAM 38.28

65.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 MX$1,038

$33.89 BAM 58.1

73.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$469

$12.03 BAM 20.64

120.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 MX$123

$5.62 BAM 9.65

23.67%

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

$463 MX$8,180

$150 BAM 257

209.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$236.2K

$3,985 BAM 6,838

235.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 MX$1,333

$29.77 BAM 51.1

153.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MX$958

$17.80 BAM 30.55

204.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,965

$96.5 BAM 166

15.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,160

$117 BAM 200

4.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 MX$20.0K

$219 BAM 375

417.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 MX$12.3K

$207 BAM 356

236.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 MX$43.2K

$305 BAM 524

699.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 MX$23.0K

$277 BAM 475

370.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,910 MX$69.1K

$1,503 BAM 2,579

160.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$36.6K

$1,344 BAM 2,306

53.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.6K

$783 BAM 1,343

34.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.3

162.79%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Last update for Bihac: September 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,133 in Mexico City and $219 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $30.00 in Bihac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 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 66% in total monthly costs ($1,668 vs $1,008 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: $1,133 in Mexico City versus $219 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 $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,668 per month in Mexico City versus $1,008 in Bihac – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,008 in Bihac versus $1,668 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 66% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.