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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $751 in Ndola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,768 in Ndola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $2,784 in Ndola.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 119% more expensive than in Ndola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Ndola is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$204

$5.75 ZMW 110

110.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$881

$31.73 ZMW 608

64.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$5.13 ZMW 98.2

112.48%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.4

$2.89 ZMW 55.4

40.14%

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

$1.72 MX$28.95

$0.56 ZMW 10.63

207.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.25

$0.25 ZMW 4.75

452.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.5

$1.29 ZMW 24.64

168.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.1

$2.35 ZMW 45.02

147.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.28

$1.74 ZMW 33.29

6.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.4

$1.19 ZMW 22.76

170.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.20

$2.14 ZMW 41.01

-2.34%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.10

$1.65 ZMW 31.56

76.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$10.73 ZMW 205

16.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$6.47 ZMW 124

56.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$268

$6.81 ZMW 130

133.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$1.59 ZMW 30.49

108.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.90

$2.51 ZMW 48.00

-15.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.97

$3.76 ZMW 72.0

-41.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.31

$1.65 ZMW 31.61

48.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.95

$2.61 ZMW 49.89

-16.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.15

$1.95 ZMW 37.32

-2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.26

$1.16 ZMW 22.22

39.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.78

$0.66 ZMW 12.54

104.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.6

$3.12 ZMW 59.7

74.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$10.45 ZMW 200

68.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.90

$1.52 ZMW 29.17

36.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.1

$2.42 ZMW 46.43

96.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$0.75 ZMW 14.41

-54.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.44

$2.60 ZMW 49.81

-21.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.75

$1.56 ZMW 29.85

-62.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$5.22 ZMW 99.9

14.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.27

$1.47 ZMW 28.20

10.20%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

$7,874 ZMW 150.8K

189.71%

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

$26.7K MX$450.0K

$27.2K ZMW 520.4K

-1.89%

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

$65.2 MX$1,101

$84.6 ZMW 1,620

-22.88%

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

$29.87 MX$504

$10.89 ZMW 209

174.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$617

$57.9 ZMW 1,109

-36.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$6.17 ZMW 118

11.02%

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

$453 MX$7,652

$143 ZMW 2,732

217.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$225.7K

$16.7K ZMW 320.4K

-20.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,265

$24.07 ZMW 461

211.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$933

$16.45 ZMW 315

236.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,917

$47.47 ZMW 909

139.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,070

$75.9 ZMW 1,453

61.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.1K

$181 ZMW 3,474

524.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$157 ZMW 3,009

353.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$388 ZMW 7,439

561.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.1K

$1,519 ZMW 29.1K

-13.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$591 ZMW 11.3K

77.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

-61.03%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ndola: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $181 in Ndola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 77% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $32.00 in Ndola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $233 per month, with Ndola 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 Ndola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Ndola differ by about 119% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $751 including rent). Ndola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 77% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $181 in Ndola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $143 in Ndola. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ndola – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $751 in Ndola versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ndola but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ndola 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.

Expats usually find Ndola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 119% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.