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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $766 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,274 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,782 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 90% more than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Bulawayo is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$4.42 ZWL 118

195.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$29.55 ZWL 788

81.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$5.52 ZWL 147

75.36%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.39 ZWL 63.8

56.49%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.52 ZWL 13.89

211.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.44 ZWL 11.63

163.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.80 ZWL 47.90

79.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.46 ZWL 65.6

92.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.59 ZWL 42.31

3.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$1.00 ZWL 26.76

175.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.80 ZWL 48.06

3.89%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.81 ZWL 48.39

38.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$10.46 ZWL 279

-2.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$3.89 ZWL 104

112.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$4.31 ZWL 115

174.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$1.48 ZWL 39.36

103.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.49 ZWL 39.66

21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$2.33 ZWL 62.1

-14.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.13 ZWL 30.20

76.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$1.15 ZWL 30.56

80.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$1.39 ZWL 37.07

63.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

41.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.06 ZWL 28.21

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$1.54 ZWL 41.13

182.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$4.97 ZWL 133

241.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.53 ZWL 40.72

13.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.13 ZWL 56.9

68.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.52 ZWL 13.81

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$30.04 ZWL 802

-37.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$2.97 ZWL 79.3

-55.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$2.21 ZWL 59.0

-87.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$5.02 ZWL 134

4.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.64 ZWL 43.64

-18.29%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

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

$40.69 MX$714

$71.6 ZWL 1,911

-43.18%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$18.35 ZWL 490

46.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$134 ZWL 3,585

-77.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$25.50 ZWL 680

106.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$9.95 ZWL 265

-34.57%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$142 ZWL 3,781

202.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$21.35 ZWL 570

168.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$13.38 ZWL 357

240.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$68.7 ZWL 1,834

51.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$55.9 ZWL 1,491

92.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$184 ZWL 4,899

446.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$112 ZWL 2,992

455.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$459 ZWL 12.2K

359.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$414 ZWL 11.1K

193.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$2,118 ZWL 56.5K

83.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$2,063 ZWL 55.0K

-1.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$301 ZWL 8,034

244.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $184 in Bulawayo. 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 245% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $180 – making Bulawayo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bulawayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 90%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $1,149 in Bulawayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulawayo, 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 $1,456 in Mexico City and $766 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 61% less in Bulawayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bulawayo, where all-in costs run around $766, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Bulawayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bulawayo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Bulawayo. 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.