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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,005 in Zepce.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,544 in Zepce.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,083 in Zepce.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 45% more expensive than in Zepce, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Zepce is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$8.63 BAM 14.77

51.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$41.27 BAM 70.7

30.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$8.94 BAM 15.32

8.28%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.57 BAM 2.69

138.22%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.99 BAM 3.41

-18.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$1.20 BAM 2.06

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.12 BAM 3.63

52.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$2.87 BAM 4.92

65.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.36 BAM 2.33

21.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.29 BAM 2.21

113.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.65 BAM 2.83

13.33%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.92 BAM 5.01

-14.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$9.26 BAM 15.86

10.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$8.96 BAM 15.34

-7.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$11.87 BAM 20.33

-0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.38 BAM 2.37

118.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.60 BAM 2.74

13.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.95 BAM 3.33

2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.94 BAM 3.33

3.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.24 BAM 2.13

67.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.25 BAM 2.15

81.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.28 BAM 2.20

14.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.76 BAM 1.30

42.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$3.64 BAM 6.23

19.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$8.36 BAM 14.32

103.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$0.71 BAM 1.21

143.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$1.09 BAM 1.87

228.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.77 BAM 3.03

-77.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$34.81 BAM 59.6

-46.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$1.44 BAM 2.46

-7.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$1.16 BAM 1.99

-75.86%

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

$1.53 BAM 2.62

-12.42%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$28.4K BAM 48.7K

-31.69%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$27.1K BAM 46.5K

-12.15%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$171 BAM 293

-76.25%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$18.89 BAM 32.36

42.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$23.98 BAM 41.07

27.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$29.94 BAM 51.3

76.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$10.95 BAM 18.75

143.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$2.88 BAM 4.94

126.04%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$236 BAM 404

81.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$3,638 BAM 6,230

188.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$75.7 BAM 130

-24.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$35.88 BAM 61.5

26.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$88.0 BAM 151

18.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$125 BAM 214

-13.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$256 BAM 439

291.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$167 BAM 286

273.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$370 BAM 634

469.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$313 BAM 536

289.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$2,872 BAM 4,919

35.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$1,967 BAM 3,368

3.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.02

125.90%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Zepce: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $256 in Zepce. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $41.00 in Zepce for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $230 per month, with Zepce 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 Zepce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Zepce differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $1,005 including rent). Zepce is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,185 in Mexico City and $1,507 in Zepce 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $256 in Zepce. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Zepce runs roughly 86% 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 $236 in Zepce. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,005 in Zepce versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zepce but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Zepce 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 Zepce 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 Zepce gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.