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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $884 in Zenica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,294 in Zenica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,703 in Zenica.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 66% more expensive than Zenica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Zenica is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$6.87 BAM 11.57

91.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$18.70 BAM 31.50

188.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.20 BAM 7.07

124.29%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$1.59 BAM 2.69

123.27%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$1.79 BAM 3.02

-9.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$1.20 BAM 2.01

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$2.03 BAM 3.42

53.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$2.02 BAM 3.40

129.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.22 BAM 2.05

39.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$0.85 BAM 1.44

220.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$1.72 BAM 2.90

11.05%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$2.68 BAM 4.51

-5.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$7.66 BAM 12.91

30.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$7.32 BAM 12.33

10.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$12.96 BAM 21.84

-10.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$1.41 BAM 2.37

110.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.64 BAM 2.77

10.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$1.54 BAM 2.60

30.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$1.84 BAM 3.10

10.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$1.04 BAM 1.75

103.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$1.25 BAM 2.11

81.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$0.57 BAM 0.97

145.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.71 BAM 1.20

59.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$3.60 BAM 6.06

18.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$4.24 BAM 7.14

266.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$0.84 BAM 1.42

109.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$1.00 BAM 1.68

260.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.85 BAM 1.44

-55.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$32.08 BAM 54.1

-40.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$1.59 BAM 2.67

-13.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$0.84 BAM 1.41

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$8.99 BAM 15.14

-39.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$1.45 BAM 2.44

-10.34%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$23.8K BAM 40.1K

-21.42%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$26.2K BAM 44.1K

-11.68%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$168 BAM 284

-75.73%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$19.17 BAM 32.29

39.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$24.40 BAM 41.11

22.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$24.13 BAM 40.66

115.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$14.50 BAM 24.43

85.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$4.63 BAM 7.80

36.07%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$149 BAM 252

191.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$3,286 BAM 5,536

216.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$51.1 BAM 86.1

10.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$30.99 BAM 52.2

43.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$94.6 BAM 159

8.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$92.2 BAM 155

14.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$195 BAM 328

424.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$145 BAM 245

333.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$280 BAM 471

663.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$206 BAM 347

503.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$1,631 BAM 2,748

139.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$1,337 BAM 2,252

54.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$732 BAM 1,234

52.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

278.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zenica: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $195 in Zenica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 52% 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 $19.00 in Zenica for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $200 per month, with Zenica 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 Zenica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Zenica differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $884 including rent). Zenica is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 52% 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $195 in Zenica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Zenica runs roughly 67% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $149 in Zenica. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $884 in Zenica versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zenica but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Zenica 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 Zenica 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 Zenica gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.