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 $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,614 in Budva, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $2,563 in Budva, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $3,513 in Budva, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 3% more than Budva, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Budva sit above the global median – Mexico City by 21%, Budva by 18%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$15.32 €13.35

-22.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$68.4 €59.7

-24.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$13.82 €12.05

-17.44%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$3.49 €3.05

14.33%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$2.29 €1.99

-27.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$1.54 €1.34

-13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$4.90 €4.27

-29.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$4.24 €3.70

39.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.31 €1.14

43.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.08 €0.94

200.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$2.25 €1.96

-4.00%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$3.11 €2.71

-6.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$9.05 €7.89

42.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$9.35 €8.15

7.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$12.88 €11.23

23.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$1.32 €1.15

149.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.72 €1.50

16.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.59 €1.39

38.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$2.96 €2.58

-20.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$0.89 €0.78

130.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.15 €1.00

65.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.76 €1.54

-8.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.94 €0.82

48.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$4.55 €3.97

20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$7.87 €6.86

124.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.15 €1.00

79.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.74 €1.52

168.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$2.91 €2.53

-88.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$40.47 €35.28

-48.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.18 €1.03

77.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.19 €1.04

-52.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$17.04 €14.86

-65.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.78 €1.55

-9.55%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$30.3K €26.4K

-24.54%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$27.0K €23.6K

-1.09%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$163 €142

-60.00%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$15.52 €13.53

93.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$35.01 €30.52

6.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$59.3 €51.7

0.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$22.17 €19.32

19.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$6.37 €5.56

10.52%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$406 €354

14.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$9,995 €8,713

32.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$107 €92.9

-28.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$46.08 €40.17

21.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$98.6 €85.9

13.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$182 €159

-33.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$809 €705

36.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$587 €512

22.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$1,528 €1,332

65.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$1,172 €1,022

10.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$4,224 €3,682

-5.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$3,098 €2,700

-32.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$1,050 €915

-1.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.95

89.92%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Budva: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $809 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 1% higher in Budva, 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $68.0 in Budva. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Mexico City vs $244 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: $1,660 in Mexico City, $1,614 in Budva – roughly 3% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $2,421 in Budva. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Budva, 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 $1,660 in Mexico City and $1,614 in Budva. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 94% less in Budva. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Budva, where all-in costs run around $1,614, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Budva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City 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 $1,614 in Budva to $1,660 in Mexico City. 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 Budva. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.