Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Stara Zagora Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Stara Zagora

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $864 in Stara Zagora.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,330 in Stara Zagora.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,796 in Stara Zagora.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 70% more expensive than Stara Zagora, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Stara Zagora is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$8.82 BGN 14.68

49.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$34.74 BGN 57.8

55.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$8.99 BGN 14.95

4.78%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$1.87 BGN 3.11

89.84%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$1.27 BGN 2.11

27.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.73 BGN 1.22

52.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$1.17 BGN 1.94

166.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$2.02 BGN 3.35

129.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.86 BGN 3.09

-8.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$0.78 BGN 1.29

248.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$1.54 BGN 2.56

24.03%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$2.25 BGN 3.74

12.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$9.15 BGN 15.21

9.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$7.52 BGN 12.51

7.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$8.65 BGN 14.39

34.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$1.37 BGN 2.27

116.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.66 BGN 2.76

9.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$1.88 BGN 3.13

6.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$2.14 BGN 3.55

-5.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$1.01 BGN 1.67

109.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$0.85 BGN 1.42

167.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$0.57 BGN 0.95

145.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.75 BGN 1.24

50.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$3.84 BGN 6.39

11.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$5.34 BGN 8.88

191.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$1.22 BGN 2.03

44.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$2.17 BGN 3.62

65.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.92 BGN 1.54

-58.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$18.95 BGN 31.52

1.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$1.38 BGN 2.29

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$0.70 BGN 1.17

-60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$11.66 BGN 19.39

-53.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$1.54 BGN 2.55

-15.58%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$24.7K BGN 41.0K

-24.19%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$17.9K BGN 29.8K

28.94%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$104 BGN 173

-60.64%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$15.07 BGN 25.06

77.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$11.04 BGN 18.36

171.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$19.66 BGN 32.70

164.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$17.48 BGN 29.08

53.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$7.78 BGN 12.94

-19.02%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$232 BGN 386

87.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$2,361 BGN 3,927

341.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$38.22 BGN 63.6

48.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$18.85 BGN 31.36

135.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$76.1 BGN 127

35.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$75.7 BGN 126

39.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$244 BGN 406

318.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$232 BGN 386

171.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$399 BGN 663

435.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$368 BGN 612

237.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$1,508 BGN 2,508

158.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$1,120 BGN 1,863

84.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$1,062 BGN 1,767

4.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.4

233.53%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Stara Zagora: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $244 in Stara Zagora. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 5% 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 $35.00 in Stara Zagora for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $204 per month, with Stara Zagora 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 Stara Zagora: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Stara Zagora differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $864 including rent). Stara Zagora is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 5% 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $244 in Stara Zagora. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Stara Zagora runs roughly 1% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $232 in Stara Zagora. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $864 in Stara Zagora versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Stara Zagora but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Stara Zagora 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 Stara Zagora 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 Stara Zagora gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.