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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $989 in Tetovo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,475 in Tetovo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,960 in Tetovo.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 47% more expensive than in Tetovo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Tetovo is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$5.53 MKD 297

136.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$24.86 MKD 1,333

116.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$5.00 MKD 268

93.60%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.49 MKD 79.8

151.01%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$1.53 MKD 82.0

5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$1.02 MKD 54.5

13.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.23 MKD 119

44.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.14 MKD 115

121.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.29 MKD 69.3

27.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.69 MKD 37.16

298.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.42 MKD 76.2

31.69%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$2.02 MKD 108

23.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.42 MKD 398

37.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$5.39 MKD 289

53.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$10.42 MKD 559

13.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$1.07 MKD 57.4

181.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.37 MKD 73.4

32.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$1.03 MKD 55.2

94.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.64 MKD 87.9

21.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.97 MKD 51.8

114.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$0.74 MKD 39.44

206.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.86 MKD 46.17

69.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.56 MKD 30.15

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$3.14 MKD 169

38.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$4.50 MKD 242

277.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$0.94 MKD 50.3

84.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$1.46 MKD 78.1

145.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.37 MKD 19.58

5.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$11.47 MKD 615

62.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$1.10 MKD 59.0

20.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.53 MKD 28.28

-47.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$6.69 MKD 359

-21.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.50 MKD 80.5

-10.67%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

-38.45%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

-28.57%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$142 MKD 7,636

-71.42%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$17.74 MKD 952

51.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$15.29 MKD 820

99.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$88.5 MKD 4,746

-40.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$4.74 MKD 254

37.34%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$222 MKD 11.9K

93.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$2,252 MKD 120.8K

366.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$66.2 MKD 3,551

-13.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$48.36 MKD 2,594

-5.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$74.8 MKD 4,012

39.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$114 MKD 6,128

-5.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$358 MKD 19.2K

180.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$278 MKD 14.9K

124.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$595 MKD 31.9K

254.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$507 MKD 27.2K

140.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$1,224 MKD 65.7K

217.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$1,118 MKD 60.0K

81.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$888 MKD 47.6K

16.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.75

202.40%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tetovo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $358 in Tetovo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 17% 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 $25.00 in Tetovo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $171 per month, with Tetovo 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 Tetovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tetovo differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $989 including rent). Tetovo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 17% 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 $358 in Tetovo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tetovo runs roughly 63% 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 $222 in Tetovo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $989 in Tetovo versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tetovo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tetovo 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.

Expats usually find Tetovo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.