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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $963 in Sabac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,435 in Sabac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,908 in Sabac.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 51% more expensive than in Sabac, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Sabac is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$9.09 RSD 930

43.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$26.46 RSD 2,707

103.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$9.89 RSD 1,012

-2.12%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.52 RSD 155

146.05%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$1.76 RSD 180

-7.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$1.15 RSD 117

0.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.42 RSD 247

33.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.11 RSD 216

124.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.39 RSD 142

18.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.61 RSD 62.0

350.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$2.00 RSD 205

-6.50%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$2.17 RSD 222

15.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.31 RSD 748

39.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$6.63 RSD 678

24.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$11.00 RSD 1,125

7.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$1.29 RSD 132

133.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.90 RSD 195

-4.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$1.71 RSD 175

16.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$2.26 RSD 231

-11.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$1.11 RSD 114

87.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$1.27 RSD 129

78.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$1.10 RSD 113

32.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.45 RSD 45.73

140.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$4.08 RSD 418

6.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$5.94 RSD 608

186.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$0.67 RSD 68.4

158.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.11 RSD 216

69.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.98 RSD 101

-60.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$25.87 RSD 2,647

-27.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$1.08 RSD 111

23.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.42 RSD 43.34

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$4.95 RSD 507

6.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.81 RSD 186

-25.97%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$30.8K RSD 3.2M

-37.07%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$27.1K RSD 2.8M

-11.93%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$155 RSD 15.9K

-73.81%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$19.51 RSD 1,996

37.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$24.31 RSD 2,487

25.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$23.62 RSD 2,416

123.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$11.68 RSD 1,195

128.17%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$6.53 RSD 668

-0.31%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$182 RSD 18.6K

135.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$4,019 RSD 411.2K

161.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$63.3 RSD 6,479

-9.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$56.7 RSD 5,795

-19.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$117 RSD 12.0K

-11.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$122 RSD 12.5K

-11.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$234 RSD 23.9K

329.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$176 RSD 18.0K

253.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$352 RSD 36.0K

499.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$267 RSD 27.3K

356.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$1,876 RSD 191.9K

107.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$1,533 RSD 156.8K

32.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$966 RSD 98.8K

7.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

41.75%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sabac: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $234 in Sabac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 7% 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 $26.00 in Sabac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $196 per month, with Sabac 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 Sabac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Sabac differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $963 including rent). Sabac is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 7% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $234 in Sabac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sabac runs roughly 38% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $182 in Sabac. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $963 in Sabac versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sabac but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sabac 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 Sabac 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 Sabac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.