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: $985 in Neum versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,437 in Neum versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,890 in Neum versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Neum costs roughly 41% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Neum is 29% below, Mexico City is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 BAM 8.89

$12.14 MX$206

-56.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.76 BAM 50.2

$53.9 MX$914

-44.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.91 BAM 9.95

$11.09 MX$188

-46.71%

Cappuccino

$1.96 BAM 3.31

$4.10 MX$69.5

-52.20%

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

$1.83 BAM 3.08

$1.68 MX$28.53

8.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 BAM 2.10

$1.39 MX$23.55

-10.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 BAM 4.41

$3.33 MX$56.5

-21.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 BAM 3.69

$5.88 MX$99.7

-62.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 BAM 2.03

$1.85 MX$31.41

-34.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 BAM 1.56

$3.17 MX$53.8

-70.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 BAM 3.49

$2.07 MX$35.13

Eggs

$2.66 BAM 4.49

$2.93 MX$49.67

-9.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 BAM 13.79

$12.59 MX$214

-34.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.61 BAM 12.83

$10.11 MX$172

-24.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.89 BAM 18.35

$16.09 MX$273

-32.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 BAM 1.90

$3.39 MX$57.5

-66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 BAM 2.82

$2.08 MX$35.26

-19.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 BAM 2.35

$2.12 MX$35.97

-34.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.02

$2.41 MX$40.95

-50.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 BAM 1.69

$2.13 MX$36.11

-53.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 BAM 1.71

$2.01 MX$34.02

-49.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 BAM 1.24

$1.55 MX$26.21

-52.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 BAM 1.22

$1.36 MX$23.15

-46.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 BAM 6.73

$5.77 MX$97.8

-30.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.12 BAM 6.93

$17.74 MX$301

-76.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 BAM 1.27

$2.07 MX$35.11

-63.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 BAM 1.63

$4.61 MX$78.3

-78.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 BAM 2.18

$0.37 MX$6.21

248.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 BAM 99.6

$21.18 MX$359

179.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 BAM 2.92

$2.05 MX$34.84

-15.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 BAM 0.96

$0.58 MX$9.79

-1.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 BAM 9.77

$6.07 MX$103

-4.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 BAM 2.72

$1.55 MX$26.34

4.52%

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

$32.1K BAM 54.1K

$22.9K MX$388.1K

40.34%

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

$22.3K BAM 37.6K

$27.2K MX$462.0K

-18.12%

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

$140 BAM 237

$67.4 MX$1,144

108.29%

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

$18.33 BAM 30.88

$30.62 MX$520

-40.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.79 BAM 45.15

$37.24 MX$632

-28.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.29 BAM 57.8

$61.5 MX$1,043

-44.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.97 BAM 20.18

$27.12 MX$460

-55.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 BAM 9.65

$7.11 MX$121

-19.41%

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

$205 BAM 345

$456 MX$7,739

-55.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,362 BAM 3,980

$13.7K MX$232.3K

-82.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 BAM 102

$74.2 MX$1,259

-18.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.53 BAM 56.5

$57.0 MX$967

-41.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 BAM 151

$115 MX$1,958

-22.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 BAM 143

$122 MX$2,061

-29.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 BAM 602

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-68.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 BAM 432

$709 MX$12.0K

-63.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 BAM 891

$2,577 MX$43.7K

-79.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 BAM 622

$1,295 MX$22.0K

-71.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,499 BAM 4,211

$4,005 MX$67.9K

-37.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,833 BAM 3,089

$2,130 MX$36.1K

-13.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$885 BAM 1,490

$1,082 MX$18.4K

-18.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

11.3

-74.34%

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

Last update for Neum: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $357 in Neum and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 22% 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: $30.00 in Neum vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $345 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 70% in total monthly costs ($985 vs $1,677 including rent). Neum is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 22% 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: $357 in Neum versus $1,148 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 179% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $205 in Neum versus $456 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $985 in Neum versus $1,677 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 70% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.