Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Oued Zem Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Oued Zem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $790 in Oued Zem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,321 in Oued Zem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,851 in Oued Zem.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 86% more expensive than in Oued Zem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Oued Zem is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$229

$4.73 MAD 44.34

177.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$934

$50.2 MAD 471

6.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$163

$6.53 MAD 61.3

42.88%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.5

$2.04 MAD 19.17

81.37%

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

$1.60 MX$27.98

$0.63 MAD 5.90

153.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$0.37 MAD 3.48

202.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$5.62 MAD 52.7

-44.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.5

$4.06 MAD 38.05

19.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.84

$0.82 MAD 7.66

101.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.34

$0.47 MAD 4.42

476.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.29

$1.96 MAD 18.42

-2.55%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.17

$1.93 MAD 18.13

34.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$171

$13.18 MAD 124

-25.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.90 MAD 64.7

22.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$208

$11.99 MAD 113

-0.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$1.58 MAD 14.87

86.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.35

$1.44 MAD 13.51

20.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.66

$0.82 MAD 7.65

148.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.93

$0.86 MAD 8.08

139.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.49

$0.67 MAD 6.29

220.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.33

$0.67 MAD 6.27

237.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.17

$0.42 MAD 3.96

230.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.47

$0.60 MAD 5.60

86.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.6

$4.44 MAD 41.71

-4.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$305

$7.70 MAD 72.3

127.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.82

$2.62 MAD 24.60

-34.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$63.4

$2.55 MAD 23.94

42.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.15

$0.50 MAD 4.72

-30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

$16.19 MAD 152

19.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.00

$0.53 MAD 4.99

160.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.81

$0.89 MAD 8.32

-68.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$92.0

$4.50 MAD 42.22

17.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.69

$1.58 MAD 14.79

-13.92%

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

$19.1K MX$333.2K

$37.0K MAD 347.0K

-48.35%

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

$23.6K MX$411.7K

$29.2K MAD 273.8K

-19.09%

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

$40.53 MX$707

$40.97 MAD 384

-1.07%

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

$27.38 MX$478

$11.09 MAD 104

146.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$530

$39.78 MAD 373

-23.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$911

$24.64 MAD 231

111.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

$23.14 MAD 217

14.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$108

$6.56 MAD 61.6

-5.64%

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

$425 MX$7,414

$160 MAD 1,505

165.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$187.2K

$6,381 MAD 59.9K

68.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

$53.1 MAD 498

9.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$777

$47.44 MAD 445

-6.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,805

$107 MAD 1,005

-3.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,897

$98.8 MAD 927

10.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.7K

$286 MAD 2,684

254.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$176 MAD 1,655

253.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$37.0K

$514 MAD 4,819

312.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.3K

$310 MAD 2,910

294.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

$1,165 MAD 10.9K

225.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

$932 MAD 8,745

126.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.4K

$246 MAD 2,311

327.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.81

135.76%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Oued Zem: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $286 in Oued Zem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 327% 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 $50.0 in Oued Zem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $208 per month, with Oued Zem 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 Oued Zem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Oued Zem differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $790 including rent). Oued Zem is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 327% 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $286 in Oued Zem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Oued Zem runs roughly 19% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $160 in Oued Zem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $790 in Oued Zem versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Oued Zem but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Oued Zem 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 Oued Zem 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 Oued Zem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.