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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $865 in Sabac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,319 in Sabac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,774 in Sabac.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 90% more expensive than in Sabac, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Sabac is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$206

$8.32 RSD 841

45.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$887

$28.46 RSD 2,876

83.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$185

$6.76 RSD 683

61.24%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.8

$2.04 RSD 207

98.53%

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

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.91 RSD 193

-9.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.40

$1.44 RSD 146

-4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.9

$2.74 RSD 277

26.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.7

$2.71 RSD 274

114.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.48

$1.35 RSD 137

37.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.7

$0.65 RSD 65.5

395.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.42

$1.91 RSD 193

9.42%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.41

$2.04 RSD 206

42.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$212

$6.14 RSD 621

103.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$6.78 RSD 685

49.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$270

$12.05 RSD 1,217

31.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.3

$1.28 RSD 129

158.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.12

$1.98 RSD 201

7.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.20

$1.45 RSD 147

51.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.57

$2.01 RSD 203

21.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.18

$0.69 RSD 69.3

217.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.35

$0.36 RSD 36.41

427.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$1.09 RSD 110

48.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.92

$0.46 RSD 46.20

193.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$92.1

$3.67 RSD 371

47.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$299

$8.17 RSD 826

115.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.12

$0.71 RSD 72.1

191.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.6

$1.03 RSD 104

361.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.77

$1.08 RSD 109

-68.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$366

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.65

$1.52 RSD 154

34.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.82

$0.97 RSD 97.8

-40.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$5.38 RSD 543

10.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$1.88 RSD 190

-13.83%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$32.1K RSD 3.2M

-28.84%

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

$26.7K MX$452.8K

$26.6K RSD 2.7M

0.33%

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

$65.2 MX$1,108

$144 RSD 14.5K

-54.67%

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

$29.87 MX$507

$26.69 RSD 2,697

11.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$621

$19.95 RSD 2,017

83.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,036

$30.69 RSD 3,102

98.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$453

$14.00 RSD 1,415

90.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$5.86 RSD 592

16.89%

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

$453 MX$7,700

$181 RSD 18.3K

150.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$227.1K

$4,009 RSD 405.2K

233.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,273

$63.3 RSD 6,395

18.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$939

$67.9 RSD 6,858

-18.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,929

$60.7 RSD 6,134

87.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,083

$124 RSD 12.5K

-0.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.3K

$241 RSD 24.4K

370.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.1K

$157 RSD 15.9K

352.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.7K

$358 RSD 36.2K

617.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.3K

$269 RSD 27.2K

386.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.8K

$1,970 RSD 199.1K

102.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.6K

$1,556 RSD 157.3K

34.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.8K

$983 RSD 99.4K

6.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.84

133.47%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Sabac: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $241 in Sabac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 6% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $28.00 in Sabac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $193 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 90% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $865 including rent). Sabac is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $241 in Sabac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $181 in Sabac. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sabac – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $865 in Sabac versus $1,646 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 90% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.