Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanjan and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Zanjan: $428 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

21

Cost of Living Index in Zanjan
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Zanjan Living Index
78

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

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Zanjan

🇮🇷 Iran

$428

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zanjan and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zanjan and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $428 in Zanjan versus $1,608 in Mexico City.

Zanjan $428
Mexico City $1,608

Estimated couple costs with rent: $768 in Zanjan versus $2,549 in Mexico City.

Zanjan $768
Mexico City $2,549

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,108 in Zanjan versus $3,490 in Mexico City.

Zanjan $1,108
Mexico City $3,490

Living in Zanjan costs roughly 73% less than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zanjan is 69% below, Mexico City is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 $3.07

$10.62 MX$200

-71.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.14 $13.14

$48.35 MX$909

-72.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.03 $3.03

$10.35 MX$194

-70.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 $0.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$0.92 $0.92

$3.69 MX$69.4

-75.07%

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

$0.49 $0.49

$1.67 MX$31.32

-70.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.27 MX$23.78

-7.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$60.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 MX$99.7

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.72 MX$32.41

-59.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 $0.57

$3.04 MX$57.1

-81.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.94 MX$36.48

64.95%

Eggs

$1.23 $1.23

$2.89 MX$54.3

-57.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$10.97 MX$206

-58.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$9.25 MX$174

-64.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.09 $9.09

$15.13 MX$284

-39.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$3.05 MX$57.3

-65.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.94 MX$36.48

-21.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 $0.82

$2.03 MX$38.06

-59.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 $0.45

$2.31 MX$43.50

-80.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 $0.53

$2.04 MX$38.25

-74.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$1.80 MX$33.83

-73.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 $0.40

$1.48 MX$27.80

-72.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 $0.24

$1.27 MX$23.82

-81.10%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.73 $0.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 $0.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 $1.73

$5.30 MX$99.7

-67.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.10 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$37.27

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MX$79.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 $0.19

$0.31 MX$5.73

-38.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.85 $9.85

$19.73 MX$371

-50.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 $0.31

$1.84 MX$34.53

-83.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.53 MX$10.03

-41.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 $1.02

$5.30 MX$99.5

-80.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 $0.03

$1.51 MX$28.39

-98.01%

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

$49.9K $49.9K

$21.8K MX$408.8K

129.24%

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

$46.7K $46.7K

$24.0K MX$450.8K

94.52%

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

$13.19 $13.19

$63.0 MX$1,184

-79.06%

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

$1.57 $1.57

$27.39 MX$515

-94.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$4.00 $4.00

$35.67 MX$670

-88.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.35 $12.35

$58.9 MX$1,108

-79.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.66 $12.66

$23.64 MX$444

-46.45%

Cinema Ticket

$2.04 $2.04

$6.40 MX$120

-68.13%

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

$106 $106

$432 MX$8,111

-75.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,544 $2,544

$11.4K MX$214.7K

-77.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.95 $26.95

$68.2 MX$1,282

-60.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.23 $37.23

$53.1 MX$999

-29.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$108 MX$2,026

9.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.3 $74.3

$117 MX$2,204

-36.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$136 $136

$1,113 MX$20.9K

-87.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.0 $99.0

$710 MX$13.4K

-86.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 $384

$2,588 MX$48.6K

-85.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 $314

$1,406 MX$26.4K

-77.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$809 $809

$3,631 MX$68.2K

-77.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$473 $473

$2,135 MX$40.1K

-77.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 $285

$946 MX$17.8K

-69.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

102.64%

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

Last update for Zanjan: October 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Clothing & Footwear

Zanjan

$115 26.9%

Mexico City

$156 9.7% 35.2% $41

Groceries & Markets

Zanjan

$115 26.8%

Mexico City

$320 19.9% 179% $205

Accommodation & Living

Zanjan

$99 23.1%

Mexico City

$710 44.2% 618% $612

Eating Out

Zanjan

$51 12%

Mexico City

$199 12.4% 286% $147

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zanjan

$19 4.4%

Mexico City

$126 7.8% 572% $107

Sport & Entertainment

Zanjan

$16 3.8%

Mexico City

$72 4.5% 337% $55

Getting Around

Zanjan

$13 2.9%

Mexico City

$25 1.6% 104% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $136 in Zanjan and $1,113 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays about 3.3 times 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: $13 in Zanjan vs $48 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $115 vs $320 per month, with Zanjan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Zanjan

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

11:34 11:34 AM

02:04 2:04 AM

9 h 30 min behind Zanjan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

386,851

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

USD USD

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

100 MXN = 5.32 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – USD Converter

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

USD exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.97 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Zanjan Mexico City 12,910 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Zanjan
Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $428 in Zanjan and $1,608 in Mexico City, so Zanjan is about 73% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 70% lower in Zanjan. 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: $136 in Zanjan versus $1,113 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Zanjan runs roughly 50% less than in Mexico City. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $106 in Zanjan versus $432 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $428 in Zanjan versus $1,608 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zanjan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Zanjan 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.

Expats usually find Zanjan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.