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: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,297 in Karlovac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,905 in Karlovac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $2,513 in Karlovac.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 29% more expensive than in Karlovac, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Karlovac is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$11.60 €10.00

4.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$46.04 €39.69

17.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$8.07 €6.95

37.42%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.11 €1.82

94.31%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$2.50 €2.16

-32.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$1.75 €1.51

-20.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$2.51 €2.16

32.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$2.67 €2.30

120.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.18 €1.02

56.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.21 €1.05

161.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.61 €1.39

28.57%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$3.29 €2.84

-10.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$9.91 €8.54

27.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$9.95 €8.57

1.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$12.48 €10.76

28.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$1.99 €1.72

70.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$2.03 €1.75

2.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.97 €1.70

7.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$2.17 €1.87

11.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.45 €1.25

46.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.06 €0.92

89.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$1.78 €1.53

-12.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$1.25 €1.08

8.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$5.90 €5.08

-2.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$6.80 €5.86

160.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.69 €1.46

22.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.39 €2.06

92.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$3.50 €3.02

-89.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$5.86 €5.05

-65.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$1.17 €1.01

-50.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.71 €1.47

-9.36%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$27.4K €23.6K

-16.55%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$25.6K €22.1K

6.23%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$187 €161

-63.90%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$28.66 €24.71

6.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$40.60 €35.00

-8.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$39.02 €33.63

57.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$19.37 €16.70

40.01%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$7.05 €6.07

0.85%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$440 €379

3.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$7,185 €6,193

90.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$91.5 €78.9

-18.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$52.5 €45.21

8.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$92.2 €79.5

25.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$81.1 €69.9

49.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$513 €442

123.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$365 €315

94.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$769 €663

235.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$542 €467

139.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$2,883 €2,485

38.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$2,489 €2,145

-14.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$1,402 €1,208

-22.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

3.72

203.76%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Karlovac: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $513 in Karlovac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karlovac pays 30% 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 $46.00 in Karlovac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $257 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, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 30% 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $513 in Karlovac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,677 per month in Mexico City versus $1,297 in Karlovac – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Karlovac versus $1,677 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 29% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.