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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,024 in Nis versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,524 in Nis versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,024 in Nis versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Nis costs roughly 29% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nis is 24% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.62 RSD 771

$12.98 MX$223

-41.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.33 RSD 2,966

$52.6 MX$903

-44.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 RSD 983

$9.43 MX$162

3.08%

Cappuccino

$2.00 RSD 202

$3.57 MX$61.3

-43.98%

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

$1.89 RSD 192

$1.61 MX$27.55

17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 RSD 129

$1.15 MX$19.81

10.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 RSD 253

$3.15 MX$54.0

-20.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 RSD 300

$4.86 MX$83.4

-38.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 RSD 136

$1.70 MX$29.17

-21.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 RSD 71.5

$2.64 MX$45.23

-73.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 RSD 187

$1.90 MX$32.67

-2.63%

Eggs

$2.48 RSD 251

$2.54 MX$43.62

-2.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 RSD 791

$10.08 MX$173

-22.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 RSD 682

$8.29 MX$142

-18.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 RSD 1,196

$11.57 MX$199

2.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 RSD 116

$3.03 MX$52.0

-62.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 RSD 175

$1.71 MX$29.35

1.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 RSD 152

$2.05 MX$35.16

-26.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 RSD 180

$2.06 MX$35.36

-13.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 RSD 109

$2.06 MX$35.43

-47.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 RSD 111

$2.17 MX$37.25

-49.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 RSD 55.8

$1.40 MX$24.08

-60.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 RSD 61.8

$1.12 MX$19.26

-45.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 RSD 424

$4.29 MX$73.7

-2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.53 RSD 660

$15.41 MX$265

-57.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 RSD 71.7

$1.67 MX$28.74

-57.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 RSD 206

$3.69 MX$63.3

-44.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 RSD 75.9

$0.38 MX$6.55

97.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.24 RSD 2,654

$19.06 MX$327

37.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 RSD 148

$1.38 MX$23.70

5.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 RSD 42.88

$0.28 MX$4.74

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 RSD 696

$5.42 MX$92.9

26.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 RSD 178

$1.28 MX$21.98

37.50%

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

$31.0K RSD 3.1M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

63.43%

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

$27.4K RSD 2.8M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

16.62%

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

$142 RSD 14.3K

$41.02 MX$704

245.25%

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

$16.69 RSD 1,688

$26.92 MX$462

-38.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.77 RSD 2,303

$29.69 MX$510

-23.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.32 RSD 2,966

$52.3 MX$898

-43.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 RSD 1,955

$26.23 MX$450

-26.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 RSD 513

$6.18 MX$106

-17.96%

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

$234 RSD 23.7K

$427 MX$7,331

-45.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 RSD 520.3K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-51.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 RSD 8,978

$56.8 MX$975

56.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.06 RSD 4,759

$44.83 MX$769

4.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 RSD 9,422

$105 MX$1,794

-10.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 RSD 10.4K

$106 MX$1,819

-2.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 RSD 41.4K

$995 MX$17.1K

-58.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 RSD 28.7K

$621 MX$10.7K

-54.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 RSD 56.0K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-73.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$406 RSD 41.1K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-67.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,597 RSD 262.7K

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-33.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 RSD 193.2K

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-8.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$890 RSD 90.0K

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-19.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.45

11.34

-34.30%

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

Last update for Nis: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Nis and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 24% 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: $29.00 in Nis vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $288 per month, with Nis 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

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

Nis and Mexico City differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,024 vs $1,447 including rent). Nis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 24% 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: $409 in Nis versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nis runs roughly 38% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $234 in Nis versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,024 in Nis versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nis but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Nis 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, Nis 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 Nis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.