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: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,139 in Zepce.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,709 in Zepce.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $2,279 in Zepce.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 47% more expensive than in Zepce, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Zepce is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$205

$9.96 BAM 16.73

21.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$910

$52.9 BAM 88.9

1.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$187

$11.23 BAM 18.87

-1.25%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.2

$1.92 BAM 3.23

113.54%

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

$1.68 MX$28.40

$2.58 BAM 4.33

-34.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.44

$1.67 BAM 2.81

-16.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.2

$2.56 BAM 4.29

30.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.3

$3.59 BAM 6.03

63.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.26

$1.49 BAM 2.50

24.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.5

$1.26 BAM 2.12

151.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$1.68 BAM 2.82

23.21%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.44

$2.92 BAM 4.91

0.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$213

$10.04 BAM 16.86

25.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$8.82 BAM 14.82

14.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$272

$14.33 BAM 24.08

12.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.2

$1.91 BAM 3.20

77.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.09

$1.99 BAM 3.34

4.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.80

$2.30 BAM 3.87

-7.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.76

$1.75 BAM 2.93

37.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$1.05 BAM 1.77

102.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$33.86

$1.41 BAM 2.37

42.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.09

$1.17 BAM 1.97

32.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.04

$0.88 BAM 1.47

54.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.4

$3.94 BAM 6.62

46.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$300

$8.21 BAM 13.78

116.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.95

$1.04 BAM 1.75

99.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$77.9

$1.40 BAM 2.36

229.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.18

$1.35 BAM 2.26

-72.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$358

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.68

$1.80 BAM 3.02

13.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.74

$1.17 BAM 1.96

-50.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$18.02 BAM 30.27

-66.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

$1.68 BAM 2.82

-7.74%

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

$22.9K MX$386.2K

$31.0K BAM 52.1K

-26.25%

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

$27.2K MX$459.8K

$22.0K BAM 36.9K

23.87%

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

$67.4 MX$1,138

$165 BAM 276

-59.03%

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

$30.62 MX$517

$16.96 BAM 28.49

80.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$629

$37.72 BAM 63.4

-1.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,038

$34.03 BAM 57.2

80.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$458

$11.97 BAM 20.11

126.57%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$120

$3.00 BAM 5.03

137.00%

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

$456 MX$7,703

$299 BAM 503

52.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$231.2K

$3,694 BAM 6,204

270.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,253

$84.7 BAM 142

-12.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$963

$37.39 BAM 62.8

52.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,949

$111 BAM 187

3.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,052

$147 BAM 247

-17.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.4K

$361 BAM 607

217.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$258 BAM 434

174.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.5K

$537 BAM 902

380.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$21.9K

$379 BAM 636

241.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.6K

$2,538 BAM 4,263

57.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.0K

$1,846 BAM 3,101

15.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.44

154.50%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Zepce: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $361 in Zepce. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $53.0 in Zepce for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $248 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 47% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $1,139 including rent). Zepce is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,515 in Mexico City and $1,709 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $361 in Zepce. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $299 in Zepce. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zepce – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,139 in Zepce versus $1,677 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 47% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.