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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $780 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,257 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,735 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 88% more than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Bulawayo is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$4.57 ZWL 123

188.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$30.15 ZWL 810

78.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$5.52 ZWL 148

70.65%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.40 ZWL 64.4

47.92%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.48 ZWL 12.96

237.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.43 ZWL 11.56

158.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.72 ZWL 46.05

81.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.53 ZWL 67.9

83.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.53 ZWL 41.08

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.01 ZWL 27.00

169.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.78 ZWL 47.74

7.30%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.79 ZWL 48.10

41.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$10.44 ZWL 280

-3.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$3.92 ZWL 105

106.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$4.37 ZWL 117

165.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.54 ZWL 41.24

92.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.48 ZWL 39.69

22.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$2.22 ZWL 59.5

-9.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.13 ZWL 30.22

79.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.18 ZWL 31.79

79.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.36 ZWL 36.44

66.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.02 ZWL 27.50

37.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.06 ZWL 28.40

6.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$1.48 ZWL 39.71

188.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$4.94 ZWL 133

214.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.48 ZWL 39.65

18.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.18 ZWL 58.6

65.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.52 ZWL 13.99

-26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$30.35 ZWL 815

-36.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$2.94 ZWL 79.1

-53.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$2.28 ZWL 61.2

-87.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$4.95 ZWL 133

10.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.66 ZWL 44.58

-21.69%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

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

$40.86 MX$707

$72.5 ZWL 1,947

-43.66%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$18.20 ZWL 489

47.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$133 ZWL 3,572

-77.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$25.22 ZWL 677

106.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$9.83 ZWL 264

-35.91%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$138 ZWL 3,692

217.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$22.07 ZWL 593

156.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$13.37 ZWL 359

231.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$68.0 ZWL 1,825

51.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$54.3 ZWL 1,459

94.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$184 ZWL 4,931

456.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$111 ZWL 2,993

465.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$466 ZWL 12.5K

358.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$409 ZWL 11.0K

203.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$2,055 ZWL 55.2K

89.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$2,067 ZWL 55.5K

-0.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$302 ZWL 8,116

268.90%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 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 269% 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: $288 vs $179 – 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 88%, 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 $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,170 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 $1,467 in Mexico City and $780 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 58% 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 $780, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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.