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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $853 in Stip.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,260 in Stip.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,667 in Stip.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 97% more expensive than in Stip, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Stip is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$7.53 MKD 398

61.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$23.64 MKD 1,249

128.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$6.78 MKD 358

63.57%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$1.86 MKD 98.2

120.43%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$1.55 MKD 82.0

8.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$1.16 MKD 61.4

19.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$1.84 MKD 97.4

80.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$2.92 MKD 154

101.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.27 MKD 67.2

45.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.82 MKD 43.07

286.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.16 MKD 61.5

78.45%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.59 MKD 137

13.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$8.69 MKD 459

44.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$7.52 MKD 397

34.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$7.69 MKD 406

109.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$0.93 MKD 49.25

264.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.43 MKD 75.3

45.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.39 MKD 73.5

52.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.72 MKD 90.8

40.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.93 MKD 48.93

129.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.89 MKD 46.77

125.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.59 MKD 31.21

162.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.42 MKD 22.08

223.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$3.26 MKD 172

76.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$7.61 MKD 402

133.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.09 MKD 57.4

89.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$1.53 MKD 81.0

201.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.65 MKD 34.21

-43.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$22.86 MKD 1,208

-7.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.14 MKD 60.3

79.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.68 MKD 35.94

-14.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$5.79 MKD 306

4.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.52 MKD 80.5

1.97%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$36.7K MKD 1.9M

-37.61%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$28.1K MKD 1.5M

-2.93%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$165 MKD 8,691

-59.03%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$9.36 MKD 495

227.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$17.13 MKD 905

117.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$28.13 MKD 1,486

118.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$6.64 MKD 351

7.08%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$381 MKD 20.1K

19.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$5,594 MKD 295.6K

144.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$38.16 MKD 2,016

94.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$31.71 MKD 1,675

79.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$108 MKD 5,689

7.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$114 MKD 6,022

6.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$209 MKD 11.0K

450.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$131 MKD 6,901

442.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$341 MKD 18.0K

656.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$204 MKD 10.8K

533.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$1,246 MKD 65.9K

221.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$1,000 MKD 52.8K

112.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$472 MKD 24.9K

129.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.25

165.88%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Stip: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $209 in Stip. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 129% 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 $24.00 in Stip for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $186 per month, with Stip 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 Stip: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Stip differ by about 97% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $853 including rent). Stip is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 129% 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $209 in Stip. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Stip runs roughly 8% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $381 in Stip. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $853 in Stip versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Stip but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Stip 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 Stip 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 Stip gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.