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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,008 in Zepce.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,530 in Zepce.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $2,053 in Zepce.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 46% more expensive than Zepce, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Zepce is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$8.64 BAM 14.51

52.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$41.42 BAM 69.6

30.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$9.03 BAM 15.17

4.32%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$1.57 BAM 2.64

126.11%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.94 BAM 3.25

-16.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$1.15 BAM 1.94

-3.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$2.10 BAM 3.53

48.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.78 BAM 4.66

66.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.34 BAM 2.26

26.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.27 BAM 2.14

114.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.56 BAM 2.63

22.44%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$3.00 BAM 5.04

-15.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$9.35 BAM 15.72

7.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$8.56 BAM 14.39

-5.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$12.10 BAM 20.33

-3.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.43 BAM 2.40

107.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.63 BAM 2.74

11.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.94 BAM 3.26

3.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$2.02 BAM 3.39

0.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.20 BAM 2.02

76.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.27 BAM 2.13

78.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.22 BAM 2.05

14.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.77 BAM 1.29

46.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$3.77 BAM 6.33

13.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$8.24 BAM 13.85

88.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$0.71 BAM 1.19

147.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.14 BAM 1.91

215.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$1.76 BAM 2.95

-78.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$35.83 BAM 60.2

-46.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$1.50 BAM 2.52

-8.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.15 BAM 1.94

-75.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$8.77 BAM 14.74

-37.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.47 BAM 2.47

-11.56%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$28.7K BAM 48.2K

-34.86%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$26.4K BAM 44.3K

-12.30%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$169 BAM 284

-75.83%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$18.80 BAM 31.59

42.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$23.60 BAM 39.66

26.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$29.62 BAM 49.76

75.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$11.09 BAM 18.64

142.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$2.90 BAM 4.87

117.24%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$240 BAM 404

81.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$3,688 BAM 6,196

182.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$74.5 BAM 125

-23.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$37.25 BAM 62.6

19.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$89.6 BAM 151

14.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$123 BAM 206

-14.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$259 BAM 436

294.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$166 BAM 280

279.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$361 BAM 607

491.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$320 BAM 538

288.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$2,375 BAM 3,991

64.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,822 BAM 3,061

13.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zepce: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $259 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 $288 vs $229 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 46% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $1,008 including rent). Zepce is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,201 in Mexico City and $1,512 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $259 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 87% 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 $240 in Zepce. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,008 in Zepce versus $1,467 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 46% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.