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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $860 in Zenica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,260 in Zenica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,660 in Zenica.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 69% more expensive than in Zenica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Zenica is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$7.06 BAM 12.09

85.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$18.38 BAM 31.48

192.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$4.23 BAM 7.24

128.84%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.61 BAM 2.75

132.30%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.74 BAM 2.98

-6.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$1.17 BAM 2.00

-0.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.03 BAM 3.47

59.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$2.02 BAM 3.46

134.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.21 BAM 2.08

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.91 BAM 1.56

202.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.78 BAM 3.05

5.06%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.69 BAM 4.60

-7.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$7.76 BAM 13.29

31.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$7.39 BAM 12.66

11.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$12.68 BAM 21.72

-6.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.34 BAM 2.30

124.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.63 BAM 2.79

11.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.55 BAM 2.66

29.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.83 BAM 3.14

9.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.01 BAM 1.73

105.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.31 BAM 2.24

73.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.62 BAM 1.06

135.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.78 BAM 1.33

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$3.47 BAM 5.94

25.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$4.00 BAM 6.85

324.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$0.85 BAM 1.46

103.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$1.01 BAM 1.74

254.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.90 BAM 1.54

-56.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$32.07 BAM 54.9

-41.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$1.58 BAM 2.70

-15.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.83 BAM 1.43

-66.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$8.81 BAM 15.09

-40.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.44 BAM 2.47

-6.94%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$24.0K BAM 41.2K

-19.27%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$26.1K BAM 44.6K

-8.52%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$167 BAM 285

-75.59%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$19.21 BAM 32.90

39.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$25.03 BAM 42.87

21.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$24.42 BAM 41.83

116.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$14.91 BAM 25.54

78.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$4.79 BAM 8.21

35.91%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$154 BAM 264

177.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$3,252 BAM 5,569

222.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$50.5 BAM 86.5

13.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$30.90 BAM 52.9

47.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$96.0 BAM 164

8.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$88.7 BAM 152

21.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$199 BAM 342

403.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$147 BAM 252

323.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$280 BAM 480

651.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$209 BAM 358

483.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$1,609 BAM 2,757

141.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$1,328 BAM 2,275

53.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$719 BAM 1,231

44.34%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Zenica: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $199 in Zenica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 44% 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 $18.00 in Zenica for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $201 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 69% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $860 including rent). Zenica is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 44% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $199 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 72% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $154 in Zenica. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $860 in Zenica versus $1,456 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 69% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.