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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,095 in Zahlah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,704 in Zahlah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $2,313 in Zahlah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 34% more expensive than in Zahlah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Zahlah is 18% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$11.02 LBP 986.1K

19.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$58.9 LBP 5.3M

-9.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$7.82 LBP 700.0K

19.31%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$3.29 LBP 294.3K

12.46%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.63 LBP 145.8K

-1.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.87 LBP 78.0K

28.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$3.57 LBP 319.3K

-12.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.02 LBP 181.0K

140.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

63.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.84 LBP 75.3K

222.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.82 LBP 162.9K

4.95%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$3.06 LBP 274.1K

-15.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$11.24 LBP 1.0M

-12.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$9.51 LBP 851.2K

-11.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$11.55 LBP 1.0M

3.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.72 LBP 154.1K

71.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.47 LBP 131.2K

18.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.13 LBP 101.2K

80.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.04 LBP 92.9K

98.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.99 LBP 88.9K

117.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.01 LBP 90.0K

123.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.81 LBP 72.3K

71.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.56 LBP 49.9K

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.57 LBP 229.9K

64.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$9.91 LBP 887.3K

76.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.27 LBP 113.9K

34.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.22 LBP 198.9K

63.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$5.09 LBP 455.2K

-72.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.22 LBP 109.6K

-77.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$19.97 LBP 1.8M

-73.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.88 LBP 79.2K

54.55%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$34.7K LBP 3.1B

-44.93%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$27.9K LBP 2.5B

-15.42%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$217 LBP 19.4M

-81.28%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$36.97 LBP 3.3M

-25.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$36.82 LBP 3.3M

-17.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$8.17 LBP 731.0K

-24.24%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$300 LBP 26.9M

41.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$4,530 LBP 405.4M

137.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$69.9 LBP 6.3M

-16.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$45.20 LBP 4.0M

-1.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$121 LBP 10.8M

-14.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$95.0 LBP 8.5M

14.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$201 LBP 17.9M

210.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$393 LBP 35.2M

210.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.16

1.61%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Zahlah: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $59.0 in Zahlah. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $227, with Zahlah cheaper for home cooking.

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 Zahlah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Zahlah differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $1,095 including rent). Zahlah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,208 in Mexico City and $1,642 in Zahlah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $300 in Zahlah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zahlah – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,095 in Zahlah versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zahlah but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Zahlah 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 Zahlah 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 Zahlah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.