Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Victoria Falls Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Victoria Falls

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $902 in Victoria Falls.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,450 in Victoria Falls.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,997 in Victoria Falls.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 60% more expensive than Victoria Falls, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Victoria Falls is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$10.09 ZWL 270

28.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$45.80 ZWL 1,226

14.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$6.15 ZWL 165

-41.95%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.97 ZWL 26.03

65.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.48 ZWL 12.75

139.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.76 ZWL 47.22

78.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.96 ZWL 52.5

-13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.99 ZWL 26.44

166.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

-2.56%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$3.59 ZWL 96.0

-29.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$2.44 ZWL 65.4

313.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.94 ZWL 159

39.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$8.14 ZWL 218

42.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.91 ZWL 78.0

4.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.93 ZWL 78.6

-41.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.97 ZWL 79.6

-30.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$3.90 ZWL 104

-47.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.97 ZWL 52.8

10.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$2.02 ZWL 54.2

-30.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.54 ZWL 41.33

-27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$1.33 ZWL 35.71

222.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$20.30 ZWL 543

-24.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.92 ZWL 24.57

-58.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.97 ZWL 26.02

-71.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.82 ZWL 48.67

-29.67%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

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

$41.02 MX$704

$25.06 ZWL 671

63.69%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$25.46 ZWL 681

5.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$66.8 ZWL 1,789

-55.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$60.6 ZWL 1,622

-13.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$14.84 ZWL 397

76.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$20.20 ZWL 541

-69.41%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$101 ZWL 2,708

322.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$5,939 ZWL 159.0K

80.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$14.79 ZWL 396

284.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$24.75 ZWL 662

81.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$58.9 ZWL 1,576

77.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$44.10 ZWL 1,181

140.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$253 ZWL 6,764

293.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$181 ZWL 4,843

243.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$509 ZWL 13.6K

317.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$346 ZWL 9,263

262.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$791 ZWL 21.2K

40.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $253 in Victoria Falls. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 40% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $46.00 in Victoria Falls for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $248 per month, with Victoria Falls 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 Victoria Falls: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Victoria Falls differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $902 including rent). Victoria Falls is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 40% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $253 in Victoria Falls. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $101 in Victoria Falls. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Victoria Falls – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $902 in Victoria Falls versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Victoria Falls but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Victoria Falls 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 Victoria Falls gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.