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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $806 in Zacatecas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,275 in Zacatecas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,744 in Zacatecas.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 108% more expensive than in Zacatecas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Zacatecas is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$6.90 MX$117

75.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$34.73 MX$589

55.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$7.83 MX$133

41.63%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$3.23 MX$54.8

26.93%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$1.38 MX$23.34

21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.78 MX$13.28

78.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$2.12 MX$35.97

57.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$4.55 MX$77.2

29.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.55 MX$26.27

19.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$2.31 MX$39.19

37.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.73 MX$29.34

19.65%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.39 MX$40.62

22.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$7.91 MX$134

59.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$6.38 MX$108

58.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$10.37 MX$176

55.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$1.97 MX$33.35

72.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.77 MX$30.01

17.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$2.21 MX$37.55

-4.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.54 MX$26.15

56.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$2.09 MX$35.46

1.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.90 MX$32.22

5.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$1.54 MX$26.15

0.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.92 MX$15.56

47.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$4.76 MX$80.8

21.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$11.57 MX$196

53.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.81 MX$30.69

14.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$3.53 MX$60.0

30.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.53 MX$9.03

-30.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$17.84 MX$303

18.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$2.42 MX$41.11

-15.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$1.19 MX$20.22

-51.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$12.89 MX$219

-52.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.59 MX$27.01

-2.52%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$23.3K MX$395.6K

-1.91%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$25.7K MX$435.4K

6.10%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$24.89 MX$422

170.83%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$9.09 MX$154

236.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$27.23 MX$462

36.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$26.38 MX$448

132.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$8.77 MX$149

209.24%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$4.56 MX$77.3

55.92%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$278 MX$4,720

63.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$3,489 MX$59.2K

292.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$48.51 MX$823

52.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$45.71 MX$775

24.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$97.1 MX$1,647

18.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$46.93 MX$796

158.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$261 MX$4,435

338.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$176 MX$2,979

303.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$414 MX$7,020

522.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$264 MX$4,486

389.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$617 MX$10.5K

244.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$452 MX$7,667

139.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

10.8

4.63%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Zacatecas: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $261 in Zacatecas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 139% 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 $35.00 in Zacatecas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $245 per month, with Zacatecas 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 Zacatecas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Zacatecas differ by about 108% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $806 including rent). Zacatecas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 139% 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 $261 in Zacatecas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Zacatecas runs roughly 19% 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 $278 in Zacatecas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $806 in Zacatecas versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zacatecas but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Zacatecas 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 Zacatecas 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 Zacatecas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.