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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $954 in Neum versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,494 in Neum versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,035 in Neum versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Neum costs roughly 35% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Neum is 29% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 BAM 14.56

$13.18 MX$228

-34.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.82 BAM 70.3

$53.9 MX$932

-22.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 BAM 12.82

$9.42 MX$163

-19.00%

Cappuccino

$1.65 BAM 2.77

$3.55 MX$61.4

-53.52%

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

$1.94 BAM 3.26

$1.62 MX$27.98

19.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 BAM 2.03

$1.11 MX$19.27

9.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 BAM 3.51

$3.12 MX$54.0

-33.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 BAM 4.72

$4.63 MX$80.1

-39.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 BAM 2.22

$1.70 MX$29.43

-22.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 BAM 2.07

$2.72 MX$47.02

-54.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 BAM 2.65

$1.91 MX$33.07

-17.28%

Eggs

$3.01 BAM 5.05

$2.54 MX$43.86

18.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 BAM 16.12

$10.03 MX$174

-4.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.75 BAM 14.71

$8.09 MX$140

8.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.61 BAM 19.50

$11.62 MX$201

-0.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 BAM 2.37

$2.97 MX$51.3

-52.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 BAM 2.75

$1.81 MX$31.24

-9.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 BAM 3.26

$2.01 MX$34.82

-3.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 BAM 3.43

$2.03 MX$35.20

0.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 BAM 1.94

$2.12 MX$36.75

-45.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 BAM 1.86

$2.27 MX$39.25

-51.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 BAM 2.04

$1.40 MX$24.22

-13.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 BAM 1.23

$1.13 MX$19.55

-35.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 BAM 6.10

$4.27 MX$73.9

-14.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.06 BAM 6.81

$15.56 MX$269

-73.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BAM 1.28

$1.76 MX$30.39

-56.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 BAM 1.90

$3.60 MX$62.2

-68.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 BAM 3.11

$0.38 MX$6.62

386.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.69 BAM 58.3

$19.18 MX$332

80.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 BAM 2.52

$1.38 MX$23.79

8.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 BAM 1.84

$0.28 MX$4.78

292.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.28 BAM 12.23

$5.45 MX$94.2

33.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 BAM 2.60

$1.30 MX$22.55

18.46%

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

$29.1K BAM 48.8K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

55.59%

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

$26.4K BAM 44.3K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

14.00%

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

$174 BAM 292

$40.86 MX$707

325.38%

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

$18.87 BAM 31.70

$26.81 MX$464

-29.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.01 BAM 40.33

$29.96 MX$518

-19.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.99 BAM 48.71

$52.0 MX$900

-44.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.97 BAM 18.43

$26.84 MX$464

-59.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 BAM 8.08

$6.30 MX$109

-23.65%

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

$203 BAM 342

$436 MX$7,544

-53.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,618 BAM 6,079

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-65.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 BAM 117

$56.7 MX$980

22.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.84 BAM 60.2

$44.38 MX$768

-19.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 BAM 150

$103 MX$1,780

-13.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 BAM 186

$106 MX$1,825

4.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 BAM 438

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-74.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 BAM 284

$631 MX$10.9K

-73.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 BAM 610

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-83.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 BAM 529

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-74.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,608 BAM 4,382

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-33.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 BAM 3,088

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-10.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$882 BAM 1,482

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-20.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

11.34

-74.43%

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

Last update for Neum: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Neum and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 26% 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: $42.00 in Neum vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $288 per month, with Neum 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

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

Neum and Mexico City differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($954 vs $1,467 including rent). Neum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 26% less. 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: $261 in Neum versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Neum runs roughly 81% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $203 in Neum versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $954 in Neum versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Neum but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Neum 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, Neum and Mexico City 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 Neum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.