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: $952 in Neum versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,490 in Neum versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,027 in Neum versus $3,266 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 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.60 BAM 14.71

$13.07 MX$229

-34.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.64 BAM 71.2

$53.8 MX$943

-22.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 BAM 12.88

$9.68 MX$170

-22.21%

Cappuccino

$1.65 BAM 2.82

$3.74 MX$65.6

-55.88%

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

$2.02 BAM 3.45

$1.62 MX$28.34

24.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 BAM 1.96

$1.16 MX$20.37

-0.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$3.23 MX$56.6

-35.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 BAM 4.76

$4.74 MX$83.1

-41.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 BAM 2.28

$1.65 MX$28.89

-18.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 BAM 2.19

$2.75 MX$48.30

-53.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 BAM 2.70

$1.87 MX$32.87

-15.51%

Eggs

$2.95 BAM 5.05

$2.50 MX$43.86

18.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 BAM 15.82

$10.20 MX$179

-9.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.51 BAM 14.56

$8.25 MX$145

3.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.70 BAM 20.01

$11.82 MX$207

-1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 BAM 2.45

$3.01 MX$52.8

-52.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 BAM 2.80

$1.81 MX$31.77

-9.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 BAM 3.32

$2.00 MX$35.07

-3.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 BAM 3.45

$2.00 MX$35.00

0.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 BAM 1.98

$2.08 MX$36.56

-44.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 BAM 1.89

$2.27 MX$39.85

-51.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BAM 1.97

$1.46 MX$25.55

-21.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.21

$1.08 MX$18.88

-34.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 BAM 6.47

$4.35 MX$76.3

-13.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.04 BAM 6.91

$16.99 MX$298

-76.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.22

$1.73 MX$30.40

-58.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 BAM 1.85

$3.58 MX$62.7

-69.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 BAM 3.11

$0.39 MX$6.79

366.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.23 BAM 60.3

$18.69 MX$328

88.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 BAM 2.45

$1.33 MX$23.25

7.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 BAM 1.86

$0.28 MX$4.91

289.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.24 BAM 12.38

$5.25 MX$92.1

37.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 BAM 2.53

$1.34 MX$23.44

10.45%

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

$28.2K BAM 48.2K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

45.28%

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

$26.1K BAM 44.7K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

9.63%

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

$174 BAM 298

$40.69 MX$714

328.12%

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

$19.43 BAM 33.23

$26.87 MX$471

-27.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.03 BAM 41.10

$30.51 MX$535

-21.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.92 BAM 51.2

$52.8 MX$926

-43.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.09 BAM 18.97

$26.65 MX$467

-58.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 BAM 7.99

$6.51 MX$114

-28.26%

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

$207 BAM 354

$428 MX$7,508

-51.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,694 BAM 6,319

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-64.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 BAM 120

$57.3 MX$1,004

22.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.78 BAM 62.9

$45.50 MX$798

-19.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 BAM 150

$104 MX$1,825

-15.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 BAM 195

$108 MX$1,891

5.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 BAM 448

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-73.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 BAM 285

$623 MX$10.9K

-73.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 BAM 621

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-82.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 BAM 537

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-74.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,490 BAM 4,259

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-35.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,817 BAM 3,107

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-10.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$877 BAM 1,500

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-15.49%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Neum and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 18% 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 $217 vs $292 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 53% in total monthly costs ($952 vs $1,456 including rent). Neum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 18% 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: $262 in Neum versus $1,003 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 88% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $207 in Neum versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $952 in Neum versus $1,456 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 53% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.