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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $850 in Tesanj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,310 in Tesanj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,769 in Tesanj.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 71% more expensive than in Tesanj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Tesanj is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$3.45 BAM 5.91

278.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$16.59 BAM 28.41

223.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$2.89 BAM 4.95

234.95%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$0.92 BAM 1.57

306.52%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.43 BAM 2.46

13.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.91 BAM 1.56

27.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.01 BAM 3.44

60.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$1.75 BAM 2.99

170.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$0.81 BAM 1.39

103.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.92 BAM 1.57

198.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$2.30 BAM 3.94

-18.70%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.89 BAM 4.95

-13.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$10.17 BAM 17.41

0.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$7.50 BAM 12.85

10.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$13.13 BAM 22.49

-9.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.25 BAM 2.14

140.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.62 BAM 2.78

11.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.93 BAM 3.30

3.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.68 BAM 2.87

19.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.84 BAM 1.43

147.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.75 BAM 1.28

202.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.92 BAM 1.57

58.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$1.02 BAM 1.74

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$3.61 BAM 6.18

20.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$8.06 BAM 13.80

110.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.22 BAM 2.08

41.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$1.96 BAM 3.36

82.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.82 BAM 3.12

-78.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$35.82 BAM 61.4

-47.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$1.16 BAM 1.98

14.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.56 BAM 0.96

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$10.47 BAM 17.93

-49.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.48 BAM 2.54

-9.46%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$23.1K BAM 39.6K

-16.05%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$26.1K BAM 44.7K

-8.65%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$124 BAM 212

-67.13%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$19.14 BAM 32.78

40.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$28.79 BAM 49.31

5.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$29.97 BAM 51.3

76.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$11.05 BAM 18.93

141.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$2.97 BAM 5.09

119.19%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$151 BAM 258

184.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$3,244 BAM 5,556

223.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$70.3 BAM 120

-18.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$34.36 BAM 58.9

32.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$97.4 BAM 167

6.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$117 BAM 201

-8.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$255 BAM 438

292.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$170 BAM 291

266.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$363 BAM 621

481.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$315 BAM 540

286.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$2,468 BAM 4,228

57.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$1,816 BAM 3,111

11.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$687 BAM 1,177

51.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.14

173.91%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tesanj: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $255 in Tesanj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 51% 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 $17.00 in Tesanj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $224 per month, with Tesanj 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 Tesanj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tesanj differ by about 71% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $850 including rent). Tesanj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 51% 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 $255 in Tesanj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tesanj runs roughly 92% 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 $151 in Tesanj. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $850 in Tesanj versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tesanj but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tesanj 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 Tesanj 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 Tesanj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.