Cost of Living Comparison Between Oued Zem and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Oued Zem and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $783 in Oued Zem versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,295 in Oued Zem versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,808 in Oued Zem versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Oued Zem costs roughly 46% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oued Zem is 42% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 MAD 42.81

$12.98 MX$223

-64.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.13 MAD 454

$52.6 MX$903

-6.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 MAD 63.0

$9.43 MX$162

-27.78%

Cappuccino

$2.04 MAD 18.87

$3.57 MX$61.3

-42.86%

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

$0.58 MAD 5.35

$1.61 MX$27.55

-63.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 MAD 3.77

$1.15 MX$19.81

-64.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.38 MAD 49.78

$3.15 MX$54.0

70.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 MAD 37.46

$4.86 MX$83.4

-16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 MAD 8.21

$1.70 MX$29.17

-47.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MAD 4.65

$2.64 MX$45.23

-81.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MAD 17.30

$1.90 MX$32.67

-1.58%

Eggs

$2.02 MAD 18.73

$2.54 MX$43.62

-20.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.04 MAD 121

$10.08 MX$173

29.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 MAD 64.3

$8.29 MX$142

-16.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.61 MAD 107

$11.57 MX$199

0.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 MAD 14.78

$3.03 MX$52.0

-47.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MAD 12.89

$1.71 MX$29.35

-18.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 MAD 7.23

$2.05 MX$35.16

-61.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 MAD 7.96

$2.06 MX$35.36

-58.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.70

$2.06 MX$35.43

-65.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 MAD 6.39

$2.17 MX$37.25

-68.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.65

$1.40 MX$24.08

-72.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MAD 5.38

$1.12 MX$19.26

-48.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MAD 40.70

$4.29 MX$73.7

2.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.73 MAD 71.5

$15.41 MX$265

-49.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MAD 25.34

$1.67 MX$28.74

64.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 MAD 22.48

$3.69 MX$63.3

-34.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MAD 4.38

$0.38 MX$6.55

23.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.59 MAD 153

$19.06 MX$327

-12.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 MAD 5.22

$1.38 MX$23.70

-59.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 MAD 8.11

$0.28 MX$4.74

214.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 MAD 40.08

$5.42 MX$92.9

-20.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MAD 14.16

$1.28 MX$21.98

19.53%

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

$36.5K MAD 338.0K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

92.53%

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

$29.0K MAD 268.1K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

23.54%

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

$41.67 MAD 385

$41.02 MX$704

1.58%

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

$10.86 MAD 100

$26.92 MX$462

-59.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.64 MAD 367

$29.69 MX$510

33.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.97 MAD 222

$52.3 MX$898

-54.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.10 MAD 214

$26.23 MX$450

-11.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.76 MAD 62.5

$6.18 MX$106

9.39%

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

$160 MAD 1,480

$427 MX$7,331

-62.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,473 MAD 59.9K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-39.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 MAD 494

$56.8 MX$975

-5.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.87 MAD 443

$44.83 MX$769

6.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MAD 979

$105 MX$1,794

1.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 MAD 931

$106 MX$1,819

-5.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 MAD 2,584

$995 MX$17.1K

-71.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 MAD 1,632

$621 MX$10.7K

-71.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MAD 4,707

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-76.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 MAD 2,841

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-75.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,380 MAD 12.8K

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-64.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,050 MAD 9,710

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-49.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$246 MAD 2,274

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-77.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

11.34

-57.58%

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

Last update for Oued Zem: June 9, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $279 in Oued Zem and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 350% 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: $49.00 in Oued Zem vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $288 per month, with Oued Zem 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

Oued Zem vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oued Zem and Mexico City differ by about 85% in total monthly costs ($783 vs $1,447 including rent). Oued Zem is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 350% 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: $279 in Oued Zem 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 Oued Zem runs roughly 15% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $160 in Oued Zem versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $783 in Oued Zem versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Oued Zem but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Oued Zem 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, Oued Zem 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 Oued Zem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.