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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $985 in Neum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,437 in Neum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,890 in Neum.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 70% more expensive than in Neum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Neum is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$5.28 BAM 8.89

129.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$29.76 BAM 50.2

81.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$5.91 BAM 9.95

87.65%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$1.96 BAM 3.31

109.18%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$1.83 BAM 3.08

-8.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$1.25 BAM 2.10

11.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$2.62 BAM 4.41

27.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$2.19 BAM 3.69

168.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.21 BAM 2.03

52.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.93 BAM 1.56

240.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$2.07 BAM 3.49

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.66 BAM 4.49

10.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$8.19 BAM 13.79

53.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$7.61 BAM 12.83

32.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$10.89 BAM 18.35

47.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$1.13 BAM 1.90

200.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.68 BAM 2.82

23.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.39 BAM 2.35

52.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.20 BAM 2.02

100.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.00 BAM 1.69

113.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.01 BAM 1.71

99.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.74 BAM 1.24

109.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.73 BAM 1.22

86.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$3.99 BAM 6.73

44.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$4.12 BAM 6.93

330.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$0.75 BAM 1.27

176.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$0.97 BAM 1.63

375.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$1.29 BAM 2.18

-71.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$59.1 BAM 99.6

-64.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.73 BAM 2.92

18.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.57 BAM 0.96

1.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$5.80 BAM 9.77

4.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.62 BAM 2.72

-4.32%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$32.1K BAM 54.1K

-28.74%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$22.3K BAM 37.6K

22.13%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$140 BAM 237

-51.99%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$18.33 BAM 30.88

67.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$26.79 BAM 45.15

39.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$34.29 BAM 57.8

79.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$11.97 BAM 20.18

126.57%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$5.73 BAM 9.65

24.08%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$205 BAM 345

122.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$2,362 BAM 3,980

479.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$60.6 BAM 102

22.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$33.53 BAM 56.5

70.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$89.3 BAM 151

29.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$85.1 BAM 143

42.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$357 BAM 602

221.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$256 BAM 432

176.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$529 BAM 891

387.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$369 BAM 622

250.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$2,499 BAM 4,211

60.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$1,833 BAM 3,089

16.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$885 BAM 1,490

22.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

2.9

289.66%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Neum: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $357 in Neum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 22% 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 $30.00 in Neum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $193 per month, with Neum 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 Neum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Neum differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $985 including rent). Neum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 22% 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $357 in Neum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Neum runs roughly 179% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $205 in Neum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $985 in Neum versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Neum but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Neum 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 Neum 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 Neum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.