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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $860 in Zenica versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,260 in Zenica versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,660 in Zenica versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Zenica costs roughly 41% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zenica is 36% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.06 BAM 12.07

$13.07 MX$229

-45.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.38 BAM 31.44

$53.8 MX$943

-65.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.23 BAM 7.23

$9.68 MX$170

-56.30%

Cappuccino

$1.61 BAM 2.75

$3.74 MX$65.6

-56.95%

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

$1.74 BAM 2.98

$1.62 MX$28.34

7.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 BAM 2.00

$1.16 MX$20.37

0.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 BAM 3.46

$3.23 MX$56.6

-37.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 BAM 3.45

$4.74 MX$83.1

-57.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$1.65 MX$28.89

-26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 BAM 1.56

$2.75 MX$48.30

-66.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 BAM 3.04

$1.87 MX$32.87

-4.81%

Eggs

$2.69 BAM 4.59

$2.50 MX$43.86

7.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 BAM 13.28

$10.20 MX$179

-23.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.39 BAM 12.64

$8.25 MX$145

-10.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.68 BAM 21.69

$11.82 MX$207

7.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 BAM 2.30

$3.01 MX$52.8

-55.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 BAM 2.78

$1.81 MX$31.77

-9.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.66

$2.00 MX$35.07

-22.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 BAM 3.13

$2.00 MX$35.00

-8.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 BAM 1.73

$2.08 MX$36.56

-51.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 BAM 2.23

$2.27 MX$39.85

-42.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 BAM 1.06

$1.46 MX$25.55

-57.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 BAM 1.33

$1.08 MX$18.88

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 BAM 5.93

$4.35 MX$76.3

-20.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.00 BAM 6.84

$16.99 MX$298

-76.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 BAM 1.45

$1.73 MX$30.40

-50.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 BAM 1.74

$3.58 MX$62.7

-71.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 BAM 1.54

$0.39 MX$6.79

130.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.07 BAM 54.8

$18.69 MX$328

71.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 BAM 2.70

$1.33 MX$23.25

18.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 BAM 1.43

$0.28 MX$4.91

196.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.81 BAM 15.06

$5.25 MX$92.1

67.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 BAM 2.47

$1.34 MX$23.44

7.46%

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

$24.0K BAM 41.1K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

23.86%

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

$26.1K BAM 44.6K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

9.32%

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

$167 BAM 285

$40.69 MX$714

309.58%

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

$19.21 BAM 32.85

$26.87 MX$471

-28.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.03 BAM 42.81

$30.51 MX$535

-17.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.42 BAM 41.77

$52.8 MX$926

-53.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.91 BAM 25.51

$26.65 MX$467

-44.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 BAM 8.20

$6.51 MX$114

-26.42%

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

$154 BAM 264

$428 MX$7,508

-63.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,252 BAM 5,561

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-69.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 BAM 86.3

$57.3 MX$1,004

-11.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.90 BAM 52.9

$45.50 MX$798

-32.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 BAM 164

$104 MX$1,825

-7.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 BAM 152

$108 MX$1,891

-17.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 BAM 341

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-80.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 BAM 251

$623 MX$10.9K

-76.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 BAM 480

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-86.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 BAM 357

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-82.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,609 BAM 2,753

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-58.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,328 BAM 2,272

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-34.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$719 BAM 1,230

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-30.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-73.54%

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

Last update for Zenica: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $199 in Zenica and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 44% 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: $18.00 in Zenica vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $292 per month, with Zenica 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

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

Zenica and Mexico City differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($860 vs $1,456 including rent). Zenica is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 44% 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: $199 in Zenica 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 Zenica runs roughly 72% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $154 in Zenica versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $860 in Zenica versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zenica but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Zenica 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, Zenica 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 Zenica gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.