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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $952 in Neum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,490 in Neum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,027 in Neum.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 53% more expensive than in Neum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Neum is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$8.60 BAM 14.71

51.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$41.64 BAM 71.2

29.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$7.53 BAM 12.88

28.55%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.65 BAM 2.82

126.67%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$2.02 BAM 3.45

-19.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$1.15 BAM 1.96

0.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.08 BAM 3.55

55.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.78 BAM 4.76

70.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.34 BAM 2.28

23.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$1.28 BAM 2.19

114.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.58 BAM 2.70

18.35%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$2.95 BAM 5.05

-15.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$9.25 BAM 15.82

10.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$8.51 BAM 14.56

-3.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$11.70 BAM 20.01

1.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$1.44 BAM 2.45

109.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.64 BAM 2.80

10.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$1.94 BAM 3.32

3.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$2.01 BAM 3.45

-0.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$1.16 BAM 1.98

79.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$1.11 BAM 1.89

104.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$1.15 BAM 1.97

26.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.71 BAM 1.21

52.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$3.78 BAM 6.47

15.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$4.04 BAM 6.91

320.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$0.71 BAM 1.22

143.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$1.08 BAM 1.85

231.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$1.82 BAM 3.11

-78.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$35.23 BAM 60.3

-46.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$1.43 BAM 2.45

-6.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$1.09 BAM 1.86

-74.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$7.24 BAM 12.38

-27.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.48 BAM 2.53

-9.46%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$28.2K BAM 48.2K

-31.17%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$26.1K BAM 44.7K

-8.79%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$174 BAM 298

-76.64%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$19.43 BAM 33.23

38.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$24.03 BAM 41.10

26.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$29.92 BAM 51.2

76.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$11.09 BAM 18.97

140.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$4.67 BAM 7.99

39.40%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$207 BAM 354

106.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$3,694 BAM 6,319

184.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$70.3 BAM 120

-18.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$36.78 BAM 62.9

23.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$87.8 BAM 150

18.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$114 BAM 195

-5.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$262 BAM 448

283.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$167 BAM 285

273.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$363 BAM 621

481.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$314 BAM 537

287.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$2,490 BAM 4,259

55.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$1,817 BAM 3,107

11.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$877 BAM 1,500

18.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

2.9

291.03%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Neum: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $262 in Neum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 18% 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 $42.00 in Neum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $217 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 53% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $952 including rent). Neum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 18% 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 $262 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 88% 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 $207 in Neum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $952 in Neum versus $1,456 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 53% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.