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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $477 in Zabol.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $764 in Zabol.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,052 in Zabol.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 209% more expensive than in Zabol, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Zabol is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$207

$2.05 $2.05

481.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 MX$907

$15.85 $15.85

230.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.58 MX$183

$3.45 $3.45

206.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 $1.11

Cappuccino

$3.90 MX$67.5

$0.52 $0.52

650.00%

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

$1.69 MX$29.22

$0.50 $0.50

238.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MX$22.93

$1.10 $1.10

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 MX$57.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 MX$97.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 MX$30.85

$0.66 $0.66

169.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 MX$53.9

$0.44 $0.44

606.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.66

$1.91 $1.91

7.85%

Eggs

$3.02 MX$52.3

$0.99 $0.99

205.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.73 MX$221

$3.01 $3.01

322.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.86 MX$171

$3.05 $3.05

223.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.60 MX$270

$11.06 $11.06

41.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 MX$59.1

$0.90 $0.90

278.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.85

$1.34 $1.34

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.18

$0.77 $0.77

171.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 MX$41.15

$0.53 $0.53

349.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 MX$36.58

$0.62 $0.62

240.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.23

$0.50 $0.50

272.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.83

$0.49 $0.49

216.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.06

$0.18 $0.18

638.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.65 $0.65

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 $0.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 MX$92.6

$2.85 $2.85

87.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.21 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 MX$81.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.36

$0.19 $0.19

94.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.51 MX$355

$5.79 $5.79

254.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 MX$34.53

$0.40 $0.40

397.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 MX$9.60

$0.28 $0.28

96.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 MX$97.8

$1.98 $1.98

184.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$26.54

$0.09 $0.09

1600.00%

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

$22.7K MX$393.7K

$52.8K $52.8K

-56.96%

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

$26.2K MX$454.1K

$46.1K $46.1K

-43.10%

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

$65.7 MX$1,137

$12.74 $12.74

415.31%

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

$30.37 MX$526

$1.79 $1.79

1596.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.54 MX$616

$4.19 $4.19

748.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 MX$987

$17.75 $17.75

221.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.18 MX$454

$11.93 $11.93

119.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 MX$117

$1.88 $1.88

259.04%

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

$449 MX$7,775

$115 $115

290.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$231.3K

$807 $807

1554.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 MX$1,273

$24.17 $24.17

203.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 MX$933

$24.85 $24.85

116.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,923

$94.1 $94.1

17.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,113

$58.4 $58.4

108.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 MX$18.9K

$290 $290

276.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 MX$12.2K

$193 $193

263.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 MX$42.8K

$543 $543

354.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.4K

$319 $319

306.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,904 MX$67.6K

$1,127 $1,127

246.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,117 MX$36.7K

$617 $617

243.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,081 MX$18.7K

$147 $147

633.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

-50.65%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 1, 2026

Last update for Zabol: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $290 in Zabol. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 614% 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 $16.00 in Zabol for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $105 per month, with Zabol 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 Zabol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Zabol differ by about 209% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $477 including rent). Zabol is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 614% 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $290 in Zabol. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Zabol runs roughly 234% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $115 in Zabol. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $477 in Zabol versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zabol but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Zabol 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 Zabol gentler on the wallet – expenses run 209% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.