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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,254 in Karlovac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,865 in Karlovac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,476 in Karlovac.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 16% more expensive than in Karlovac, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Karlovac is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$12.65 €11.07

3.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$46.88 €41.02

14.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$8.13 €7.11

19.07%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.99 €1.74

87.94%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$2.44 €2.14

-33.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$1.38 €1.20

-15.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.29 €2.00

41.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.26 €1.98

109.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.14 €0.99

44.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$1.17 €1.02

135.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.86 €1.63

0.54%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$3.57 €3.13

-29.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$9.71 €8.50

5.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$11.80 €10.32

-30.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$14.05 €12.30

-15.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$1.78 €1.56

69.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$2.05 €1.80

-11.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$1.76 €1.54

13.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$2.01 €1.76

-0.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$1.64 €1.43

26.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$1.01 €0.89

124.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$1.72 €1.50

-15.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.06 €0.93

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$5.62 €4.91

-22.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$7.03 €6.15

141.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.71 €1.50

1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.67 €2.33

34.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$1.77 €1.55

-77.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$42.29 €37.00

-55.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$3.04 €2.66

-56.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$1.32 €1.16

-78.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$8.72 €7.63

-39.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.76 €1.54

-23.86%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$36.6K €32.0K

-46.97%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$26.3K €23.0K

-9.23%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$187 €164

-78.29%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$23.15 €20.25

16.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$32.87 €28.76

-7.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$34.33 €30.04

53.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$14.93 €13.06

78.50%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$6.42 €5.62

1.40%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$238 €208

80.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$1,385 €1,212

658.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$104 €90.9

-44.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$34.79 €30.44

30.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$69.3 €60.7

50.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$74.9 €65.5

44.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$426 €373

135.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$334 €293

86.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$639 €559

230.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$480 €420

153.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$2,897 €2,534

34.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$2,475 €2,166

-17.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$1,387 €1,214

-25.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.47

153.69%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Karlovac: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $426 in Karlovac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karlovac pays 34% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $47.00 in Karlovac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $268 per month, with Karlovac 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 Karlovac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karlovac is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 34% lower in Karlovac. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $426 in Karlovac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $1,254 in Karlovac – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karlovac runs roughly 126% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,254 in Karlovac versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Karlovac but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Karlovac the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Karlovac is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Karlovac 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 Karlovac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.