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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,003 in Mostar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,465 in Mostar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,927 in Mostar.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 45% more expensive than in Mostar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Mostar is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$6.95 BAM 11.90

88.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$35.81 BAM 61.3

50.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$5.54 BAM 9.50

74.73%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.64 BAM 2.80

128.05%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.80 BAM 3.09

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$1.20 BAM 2.05

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.08 BAM 3.57

55.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$2.10 BAM 3.59

125.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.42 BAM 2.43

16.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.25 BAM 2.14

120.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.59 BAM 2.72

17.61%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.81 BAM 4.81

-11.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$9.21 BAM 15.77

10.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$7.23 BAM 12.39

14.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$11.88 BAM 20.35

-0.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.23 BAM 2.10

144.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.65 BAM 2.83

9.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.85 BAM 3.17

8.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.73 BAM 2.96

15.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.85 BAM 1.46

144.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.75 BAM 1.28

202.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.92 BAM 1.57

58.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.71 BAM 1.22

52.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$3.57 BAM 6.11

21.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$4.04 BAM 6.92

320.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$0.71 BAM 1.22

143.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$1.10 BAM 1.88

225.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.16 BAM 1.98

-66.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$34.13 BAM 58.5

-45.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$1.45 BAM 2.48

-8.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.89 BAM 1.53

-68.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$8.89 BAM 15.22

-40.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.43 BAM 2.45

-6.29%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$23.8K BAM 40.8K

-18.57%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$26.4K BAM 45.3K

-9.88%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$121 BAM 208

-66.49%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$19.20 BAM 32.89

39.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$23.63 BAM 40.47

29.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$34.96 BAM 59.9

50.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$11.57 BAM 19.81

130.34%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$4.83 BAM 8.27

34.78%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$155 BAM 265

176.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$3,298 BAM 5,649

218.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$74.0 BAM 127

-22.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$35.05 BAM 60.0

29.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$89.0 BAM 152

16.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$121 BAM 207

-10.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$260 BAM 444

286.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$279 BAM 477

123.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$440 BAM 753

379.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$313 BAM 537

288.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$2,321 BAM 3,976

67.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$1,624 BAM 2,782

25.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$884 BAM 1,514

17.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.14

173.91%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mostar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $260 in Mostar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 17% 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 $36.00 in Mostar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $206 per month, with Mostar 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 Mostar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Mostar differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $1,003 including rent). Mostar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 17% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $260 in Mostar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mostar runs roughly 83% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $155 in Mostar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,003 in Mostar versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mostar but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Mostar 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 Mostar 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 Mostar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.