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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $582 in Nizwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $787 in Nizwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $993 in Nizwa.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 152% more expensive than Nizwa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Nizwa is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$2.54 OMR 0.98

418.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$931

$26.21 OMR 10.09

105.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$3.84 OMR 1.48

145.31%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.3

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

$1.62 MX$27.95

$0.87 OMR 0.33

86.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.25

$0.27 OMR 0.10

311.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$53.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.40

$1.31 OMR 0.51

29.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$46.97

$1.27 OMR 0.49

114.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.04

$1.77 OMR 0.68

7.91%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.82

$2.13 OMR 0.82

19.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$173

$3.83 OMR 1.47

161.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$8.02 OMR 3.09

0.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.06 OMR 0.79

44.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.21

$1.28 OMR 0.49

41.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.79

$1.31 OMR 0.50

53.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.16

$1.32 OMR 0.51

53.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.71

$1.05 OMR 0.41

101.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.21

$1.06 OMR 0.41

114.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.20

$0.50 OMR 0.19

180.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.53

$0.82 OMR 0.31

37.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.8

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.36

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$331

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.53

$0.59 OMR 0.23

120.34%

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

$18.7K MX$322.9K

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

$23.1K MX$399.7K

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

$40.86 MX$706

$130 OMR 49.97

-68.52%

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

$26.81 MX$463

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$64.1 OMR 24.68

-53.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$899

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

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

$436 MX$7,536

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$979

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$767

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,779

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,823

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$265 OMR 102

285.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$204 OMR 78.6

209.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$389 OMR 150

449.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$264 OMR 102

370.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$1,309 OMR 504

-14.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nizwa: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $265 in Nizwa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nizwa pays 17% 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 $26.00 in Nizwa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $140 per month, with Nizwa 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 Nizwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Nizwa differ by about 152% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $582 including rent). Nizwa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Nizwa earns 17% less. 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $265 in Nizwa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nizwa – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $582 in Nizwa – a 152% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $582 in Nizwa versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nizwa but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Nizwa 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 Nizwa 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 Nizwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 152% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.