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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Mexico City is about 15% cheaper than Budva, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$16.52 €14.21

-20.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$65.8 €56.6

-18.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$11.51 €9.90

-18.16%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.86 €2.46

24.13%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$2.20 €1.89

-26.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$1.43 €1.23

-22.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$3.44 €2.96

-9.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$3.80 €3.27

21.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.37 €1.18

24.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.11 €0.95

145.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$2.37 €2.04

-19.41%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$3.26 €2.81

-22.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$9.03 €7.77

11.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$8.02 €6.90

0.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$11.86 €10.21

-2.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.30 €1.12

128.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.79 €1.54

1.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.67 €1.44

20.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$2.93 €2.52

-30.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.04 €0.89

103.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.25 €1.08

81.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.71 €1.47

-18.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.18 €1.01

-4.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$4.48 €3.86

-4.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$6.56 €5.64

137.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.28 €1.10

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.72 €1.48

109.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$2.29 €1.97

-83.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$40.39 €34.75

-52.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$1.18 €1.01

16.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.02 €0.88

-72.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$17.20 €14.80

-68.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.78 €1.53

-26.97%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$29.8K €25.7K

-37.39%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$26.2K €22.6K

-11.85%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$159 €137

-74.35%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$18.52 €15.93

44.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$33.49 €28.81

-10.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$60.2 €51.8

-13.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$23.86 €20.52

12.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$5.68 €4.89

10.92%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$419 €361

4.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$10.2K €8,803

1.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$118 €101

-51.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$49.05 €42.19

-9.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$112 €96.1

-7.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$206 €177

-48.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$938 €807

8.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$699 €601

-9.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$1,748 €1,503

22.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$1,415 €1,217

-12.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$4,240 €3,648

-7.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$3,169 €2,726

-34.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$1,047 €900

6.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.93

91.23%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Budva: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $938 in Budva. 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $66.0 in Budva. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in Mexico City vs $238 in Budva – 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

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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $2,584 in Budva. 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 $1,467 in Mexico City and $1,723 in Budva. 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.