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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $783 in Oued Zem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,295 in Oued Zem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,808 in Oued Zem.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 85% more expensive than Oued Zem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Oued Zem is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$4.63 MAD 42.81

180.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$49.13 MAD 454

7.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$6.81 MAD 63.0

38.47%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.04 MAD 18.87

75.00%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.58 MAD 5.35

177.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.41 MAD 3.77

180.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$5.38 MAD 49.78

-41.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$4.05 MAD 37.46

20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$0.89 MAD 8.21

91.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.50 MAD 4.65

428.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.87 MAD 17.30

1.60%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.02 MAD 18.73

25.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$13.04 MAD 121

-22.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$6.95 MAD 64.3

19.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$11.61 MAD 107

-0.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.60 MAD 14.78

89.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.39 MAD 12.89

23.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$0.78 MAD 7.23

162.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.86 MAD 7.96

139.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.72 MAD 6.70

186.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.69 MAD 6.39

214.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.39 MAD 3.65

258.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.58 MAD 5.38

93.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$4.40 MAD 40.70

-2.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$7.73 MAD 71.5

99.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.74 MAD 25.34

-39.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.43 MAD 22.48

51.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.47 MAD 4.38

-19.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$16.59 MAD 153

14.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.56 MAD 5.22

146.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.88 MAD 8.11

-68.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$4.33 MAD 40.08

25.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.53 MAD 14.16

-16.34%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$36.5K MAD 338.0K

-48.06%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$29.0K MAD 268.1K

-19.05%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$41.67 MAD 385

-1.56%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$10.86 MAD 100

147.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$39.64 MAD 367

-25.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$23.97 MAD 222

118.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$23.10 MAD 214

13.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$6.76 MAD 62.5

-8.58%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$160 MAD 1,480

166.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$6,473 MAD 59.9K

65.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$53.4 MAD 494

6.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$47.87 MAD 443

-6.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$106 MAD 979

-1.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$101 MAD 931

5.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$279 MAD 2,584

256.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$176 MAD 1,632

252.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$509 MAD 4,707

317.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$307 MAD 2,841

308.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,380 MAD 12.8K

182.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,050 MAD 9,710

99.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$246 MAD 2,274

350.45%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Oued Zem: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $279 in Oued Zem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 350% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $49.00 in Oued Zem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 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 85% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $783 including rent). Oued Zem is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 350% more on average, 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $279 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 15% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 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 $783 in Oued Zem versus $1,447 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 85% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.