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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $751 in Ndola versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,768 in Ndola versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,784 in Ndola versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Ndola costs roughly 54% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ndola is 45% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.75 ZMW 110

$12.11 MX$204

-52.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.73 ZMW 608

$52.2 MX$881

-39.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ZMW 98.2

$10.90 MX$184

-52.94%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ZMW 55.4

$4.05 MX$68.4

-28.64%

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

$0.56 ZMW 10.63

$1.72 MX$28.95

-67.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ZMW 4.75

$1.38 MX$23.25

-81.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 ZMW 24.64

$3.47 MX$58.5

-62.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ZMW 45.02

$5.81 MX$98.1

-59.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ZMW 33.29

$1.85 MX$31.28

-5.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ZMW 22.76

$3.22 MX$54.4

-63.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ZMW 41.01

$2.09 MX$35.20

2.39%

Eggs

$1.65 ZMW 31.56

$2.91 MX$49.10

-43.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.73 ZMW 205

$12.49 MX$211

-14.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 ZMW 124

$10.11 MX$171

-36.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 ZMW 130

$15.89 MX$268

-57.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.49

$3.31 MX$56.0

-51.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ZMW 48.00

$2.13 MX$35.90

17.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 ZMW 72.0

$2.19 MX$36.97

71.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 31.61

$2.45 MX$41.31

-32.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 ZMW 49.89

$2.19 MX$36.95

19.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 ZMW 37.32

$1.90 MX$32.15

2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ZMW 22.22

$1.62 MX$27.26

-28.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ZMW 12.54

$1.35 MX$22.78

-51.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ZMW 59.7

$5.43 MX$91.6

-42.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 ZMW 200

$17.59 MX$297

-40.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZMW 29.17

$2.07 MX$34.90

-26.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 ZMW 46.43

$4.75 MX$80.1

-49.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ZMW 14.41

$0.34 MX$5.74

120.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ZMW 49.81

$2.04 MX$34.44

27.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ZMW 29.85

$0.58 MX$9.75

168.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.22 ZMW 99.9

$5.97 MX$101

-12.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ZMW 28.20

$1.62 MX$27.27

-9.26%

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

$7,874 ZMW 150.8K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

-65.48%

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

$27.2K ZMW 520.4K

$26.7K MX$450.0K

1.93%

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

$84.6 ZMW 1,620

$65.2 MX$1,101

29.66%

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

$10.89 ZMW 209

$29.87 MX$504

-63.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 ZMW 1,109

$36.55 MX$617

58.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 ZMW 118

$6.85 MX$116

-9.93%

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

$143 ZMW 2,732

$453 MX$7,652

-68.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ZMW 320.4K

$13.4K MX$225.7K

25.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.07 ZMW 461

$75.0 MX$1,265

-67.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.45 ZMW 315

$55.3 MX$933

-70.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.47 ZMW 909

$114 MX$1,917

-58.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 ZMW 1,453

$123 MX$2,070

-38.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 ZMW 3,474

$1,134 MX$19.1K

-83.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 ZMW 3,009

$712 MX$12.0K

-77.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 ZMW 7,439

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-84.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,519 ZMW 29.1K

$1,311 MX$22.1K

15.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ZMW 11.3K

$1,047 MX$17.7K

-43.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

156.64%

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

Last update for Ndola: September 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $181 in Ndola and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 77% 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: $32.00 in Ndola vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $345 per month, with Ndola 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

Ndola vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ndola and Mexico City differ by about 119% in total monthly costs ($751 vs $1,646 including rent). Ndola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 77% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $181 in Ndola versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $143 in Ndola versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ndola – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $751 in Ndola versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ndola but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ndola 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.

Expats usually find Ndola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 119% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.