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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $904 in Stara Zagora.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,414 in Stara Zagora.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,925 in Stara Zagora.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 84% more expensive than in Stara Zagora, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Stara Zagora is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$10.80 BGN 17.97

10.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$52.3 BGN 87.0

-1.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$9.43 BGN 15.69

21.00%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.29 BGN 3.82

74.24%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$1.56 BGN 2.59

6.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.92 BGN 1.53

44.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$2.32 BGN 3.86

49.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.10 BGN 3.49

180.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.86 BGN 3.09

1.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.89 BGN 1.49

265.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.51 BGN 2.51

43.05%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.34 BGN 3.89

23.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$9.34 BGN 15.54

37.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$6.81 BGN 11.34

47.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$8.52 BGN 14.18

86.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$1.36 BGN 2.26

141.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.68 BGN 2.79

19.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.75 BGN 2.91

25.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.95 BGN 3.24

21.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.02 BGN 1.70

100.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$0.79 BGN 1.31

140.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.58 BGN 0.96

177.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.68 BGN 1.14

105.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$3.90 BGN 6.49

40.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$5.16 BGN 8.59

242.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.18 BGN 1.97

74.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.79 BGN 2.97

161.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.93 BGN 1.55

-63.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$18.62 BGN 30.97

11.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.33 BGN 2.21

57.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.68 BGN 1.13

-17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$12.02 BGN 20.00

-51.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.58 BGN 2.63

1.90%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$30.8K BGN 51.2K

-25.77%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$20.9K BGN 34.9K

27.69%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$94.5 BGN 157

-30.99%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$14.98 BGN 24.92

100.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$12.50 BGN 20.79

197.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$27.89 BGN 46.40

114.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$21.77 BGN 36.21

21.96%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$8.89 BGN 14.79

-20.81%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$239 BGN 397

94.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$2,395 BGN 3,984

454.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$31.86 BGN 53.0

138.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$19.81 BGN 32.95

182.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$65.6 BGN 109

70.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$52.8 BGN 87.9

128.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$299 BGN 497

269.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$263 BGN 438

173.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$516 BGN 858

390.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$407 BGN 677

217.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,496 BGN 2,488

166.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,101 BGN 1,831

89.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$1,086 BGN 1,807

-4.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

2.99

277.93%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Stara Zagora: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $299 in Stara Zagora. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stara Zagora pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $52.0 in Stara Zagora. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $199, with Stara Zagora cheaper for home cooking.

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 84% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $904 including rent). Stara Zagora is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Stara Zagora. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $299 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 12% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $239 in Stara Zagora. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $904 in Stara Zagora versus $1,660 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 84% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.