😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $759 in Prilep.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,138 in Prilep.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,518 in Prilep.
😐Living in Mexico City is roughly 95% more expensive than Prilep, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Prilep is 43% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Prilep
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.98MX$226
$4.03MKD 212
222.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.1MX$923
$27.62MKD 1,451
92.14%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.72MX$169
$5.72MKD 301
69.93%
Cappuccino
$3.75MX$65.2
$1.53MKD 80.4
145.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57MX$27.30
$1.60MKD 83.9
-1.88%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13MX$19.64
$1.22MKD 63.9
-7.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.18MX$55.3
$1.63MKD 85.5
95.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.66MX$81.1
$2.03MKD 107
129.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Prilep
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.62MX$28.21
$1.21MKD 63.6
33.88%
White Bread(500g)
$2.71MX$47.09
$0.74MKD 38.98
266.22%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.88MX$32.70
$1.64MKD 86.3
14.63%
Eggs
$2.51MX$43.65
$2.10MKD 110
19.52%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.08MX$175
$7.21MKD 379
39.81%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$144
$5.87MKD 308
41.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.94MX$208
$10.13MKD 532
17.87%
Apples(1kg)
$2.86MX$49.77
$0.85MKD 44.81
236.47%
Banana(1kg)
$1.75MX$30.45
$1.37MKD 71.8
27.74%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.27
$0.94MKD 49.51
121.28%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.97MX$34.27
$1.48MKD 77.5
33.11%
Potato(1kg)
$2.16MX$37.58
$0.88MKD 45.96
145.45%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$37.94
$1.00MKD 52.4
118.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.39MX$24.20
$0.65MKD 34.26
113.85%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12MX$19.57
$0.41MKD 21.79
173.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20MX$73.1
$2.97MKD 156
41.41%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.25MX$248
$4.66MKD 245
205.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76MX$30.68
$0.91MKD 47.86
93.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68MX$64.1
$1.18MKD 62.2
211.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Prilep
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.39MX$6.71
$0.40MKD 20.89
-2.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.66MX$325
$18.92MKD 994
-1.37%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.39MX$24.12
$0.97MKD 50.8
43.30%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.30MX$5.29
$0.49MKD 25.85
-38.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.42MX$94.3
$6.52MKD 343
-16.87%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35MX$23.50
$1.45MKD 76.4
-6.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.9KMX$328.6K
$33.3KMKD 1.7M
-43.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2KMX$402.8K
$29.7KMKD 1.6M
-21.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Prilep
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.82MX$710
$129MKD 6,774
-68.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.50MX$479
$17.73MKD 931
55.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38MX$529
$14.15MKD 743
114.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Prilep
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.4MX$930
$16.98MKD 892
214.66%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.30MX$458
$5.61MKD 295
368.81%
Cinema Ticket
$6.27MX$109
$5.32MKD 279
17.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Prilep
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$436MX$7,588
$281MKD 14.8K
55.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.5KMX$182.1K
$1,202MKD 63.1K
771.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Prilep
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8MX$988
$42.03MKD 2,208
35.05%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.79MX$779
$36.95MKD 1,941
21.22%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103MX$1,789
$75.6MKD 3,970
36.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108MX$1,878
$95.4MKD 5,011
13.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Prilep
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,000MX$17.4K
$234MKD 12.3K
327.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$620MX$10.8K
$171MKD 8,984
262.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,137MX$37.2K
$522MKD 27.4K
309.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,235MX$21.5K
$289MKD 15.2K
327.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,865MX$67.3K
$1,041MKD 54.7K
271.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,332MX$40.6K
$865MKD 45.4K
169.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Prilep
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,067MX$18.6K
$620MKD 32.6K
72.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.34
4.54
149.78%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026
Last update for Prilep: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $234 in Prilep. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Mexico City pays 72% 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 $28.00 in Prilep for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $168 per month, with Prilep 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 Prilep: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Prilep?
Mexico City and Prilep differ by about 95% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $759 including rent). Prilep is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Mexico City or Prilep?
Mexico City pays 72% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and Prilep?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $234 in Prilep. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and Prilep?
A monthly transit pass in Prilep runs roughly 1% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Prilep?
Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $281 in Prilep. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $759 in Prilep versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Prilep but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Prilep the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Prilep?
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.
Is Mexico City or Prilep safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Prilep are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Prilep?
Expats usually find Prilep gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared