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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $660 in Gjilan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,014 in Gjilan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,368 in Gjilan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 122% more expensive than Gjilan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Gjilan is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$4.32 €3.72

205.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$19.90 €17.11

170.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$5.53 €4.76

70.34%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$1.41 €1.21

151.77%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.17 €1.01

38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.91 €0.79

21.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.46 €1.26

113.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$1.36 €1.17

240.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.28 €1.10

32.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.45 €0.39

504.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.41 €1.21

35.46%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.54 €1.33

64.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$6.17 €5.31

62.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.88 €4.20

65.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$10.54 €9.07

10.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.26 €1.09

135.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.63 €1.41

11.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.40 €1.20

43.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.22 €1.05

66.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.78 €0.67

171.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.81 €0.70

180.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.67 €0.58

108.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.56 €0.48

101.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$3.56 €3.06

19.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$5.71 €4.91

172.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$0.95 €0.82

85.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.43 €1.23

151.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.55 €0.48

-30.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$2.32 €2.00

-40.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.53 €0.46

-47.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$5.87 €5.05

-7.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.52 €1.30

-14.47%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$23.4K €20.1K

-20.12%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$25.0K €21.5K

-7.35%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$68.3 €58.7

-40.16%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$10.53 €9.06

154.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$19.16 €16.48

56.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$17.45 €15.01

198.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$4.54 €3.90

38.77%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$170 €146

156.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$2,932 €2,522

255.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$39.27 €33.78

44.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$30.91 €26.59

43.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$55.3 €47.55

86.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$84.9 €73.0

24.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$232 €199

341.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$177 €152

256.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$455 €392

369.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$342 €294

263.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$944 €812

313.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$726 €625

184.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$471 €405

136.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

183.50%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Gjilan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $232 in Gjilan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 137% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $20.00 in Gjilan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $164 per month, with Gjilan 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 Gjilan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Gjilan differ by about 122% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $660 including rent). Gjilan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 137% more on average, 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $232 in Gjilan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 76% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $660 in Gjilan – a 122% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $660 in Gjilan versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gjilan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Gjilan 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 Gjilan 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 Gjilan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.