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: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $763 in Oued Zem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,250 in Oued Zem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,737 in Oued Zem.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 120% more expensive than in Oued Zem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Oued Zem is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$4.19 MAD 39.41

189.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$45.68 MAD 429

17.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$7.52 MAD 70.6

47.47%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.01 MAD 18.89

103.98%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.65 MAD 6.07

158.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.36 MAD 3.34

286.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$5.26 MAD 49.40

-36.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$3.24 MAD 30.49

81.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$0.92 MAD 8.65

101.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.66 MAD 6.17

380.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.94 MAD 18.22

6.70%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.00 MAD 18.79

46.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$12.01 MAD 113

4.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$6.66 MAD 62.6

51.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$12.66 MAD 119

27.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$1.64 MAD 15.40

106.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.47 MAD 13.81

41.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$0.88 MAD 8.28

140.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$0.93 MAD 8.74

159.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.76 MAD 7.11

180.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.78 MAD 7.30

157.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.41 MAD 3.90

278.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.61 MAD 5.77

122.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$4.25 MAD 39.96

35.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$7.73 MAD 72.6

129.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$2.71 MAD 25.46

-23.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.80 MAD 26.33

64.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.55 MAD 5.14

-32.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$19.29 MAD 181

9.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$0.74 MAD 6.94

177.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.91 MAD 8.54

-36.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$4.42 MAD 41.57

37.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.60 MAD 15.00

-3.13%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$36.0K MAD 337.9K

-36.38%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$32.8K MAD 308.4K

-17.03%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$36.54 MAD 343

84.48%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$10.49 MAD 98.6

191.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$33.61 MAD 316

10.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$26.79 MAD 252

129.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$21.97 MAD 206

23.44%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$6.27 MAD 58.9

13.40%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$190 MAD 1,782

140.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$7,178 MAD 67.5K

90.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$50.7 MAD 476

46.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$45.58 MAD 428

25.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$93.3 MAD 877

23.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$70.5 MAD 663

72.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$272 MAD 2,558

321.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$172 MAD 1,612

313.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$489 MAD 4,591

427.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$271 MAD 2,548

377.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$1,242 MAD 11.7K

222.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$863 MAD 8,114

146.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$249 MAD 2,343

333.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.52

150.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Oued Zem: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $272 in Oued Zem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 334% 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 $46.00 in Oued Zem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $211 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 120% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $763 including rent). Oued Zem is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 334% 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 $272 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 10% 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 $190 in Oued Zem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $763 in Oued Zem versus $1,677 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 120% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.