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: $884 in Zenica versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,294 in Zenica versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,703 in Zenica versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Zenica costs roughly 40% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zenica is 34% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.87 BAM 11.54

$13.18 MX$228

-47.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.70 BAM 31.42

$53.9 MX$932

-65.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.20 BAM 7.05

$9.42 MX$163

-55.41%

Cappuccino

$1.59 BAM 2.68

$3.55 MX$61.4

-55.21%

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

$1.79 BAM 3.01

$1.62 MX$27.98

10.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 BAM 2.01

$1.11 MX$19.27

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 BAM 3.41

$3.12 MX$54.0

-34.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 BAM 3.39

$4.63 MX$80.1

-56.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 BAM 2.04

$1.70 MX$29.43

-28.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 BAM 1.43

$2.72 MX$47.02

-68.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 BAM 2.89

$1.91 MX$33.07

-9.95%

Eggs

$2.68 BAM 4.50

$2.54 MX$43.86

5.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 BAM 12.88

$10.03 MX$174

-23.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 BAM 12.29

$8.09 MX$140

-9.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 BAM 21.78

$11.62 MX$201

11.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 BAM 2.37

$2.97 MX$51.3

-52.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 BAM 2.76

$1.81 MX$31.24

-9.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 BAM 2.59

$2.01 MX$34.82

-23.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 BAM 3.09

$2.03 MX$35.20

-9.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BAM 1.74

$2.12 MX$36.75

-50.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 BAM 2.11

$2.27 MX$39.25

-44.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 BAM 0.97

$1.40 MX$24.22

-59.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.20

$1.13 MX$19.55

-37.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.60 BAM 6.05

$4.27 MX$73.9

-15.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.24 BAM 7.12

$15.56 MX$269

-72.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 BAM 1.42

$1.76 MX$30.39

-52.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 BAM 1.68

$3.60 MX$62.2

-72.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 BAM 1.44

$0.38 MX$6.62

123.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.08 BAM 53.9

$19.18 MX$332

67.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 BAM 2.66

$1.38 MX$23.79

15.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 BAM 1.41

$0.28 MX$4.78

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.99 BAM 15.10

$5.45 MX$94.2

64.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 BAM 2.43

$1.30 MX$22.55

11.54%

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

$23.8K BAM 40.0K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

27.26%

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

$26.2K BAM 44.0K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

13.23%

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

$168 BAM 283

$40.86 MX$707

312.02%

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

$19.17 BAM 32.20

$26.81 MX$464

-28.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 BAM 40.99

$29.96 MX$518

-18.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.13 BAM 40.54

$52.0 MX$900

-53.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.50 BAM 24.36

$26.84 MX$464

-45.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 BAM 7.78

$6.30 MX$109

-26.51%

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

$149 BAM 251

$436 MX$7,544

-65.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,286 BAM 5,521

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-68.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 BAM 85.8

$56.7 MX$980

-9.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.99 BAM 52.1

$44.38 MX$768

-30.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.6 BAM 159

$103 MX$1,780

-8.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.2 BAM 155

$106 MX$1,825

-12.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 BAM 327

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-80.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 BAM 244

$631 MX$10.9K

-76.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 BAM 470

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-86.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 BAM 346

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-83.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,631 BAM 2,741

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-58.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,337 BAM 2,246

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-35.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 BAM 1,231

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-34.31%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $195 in Zenica and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 52% 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: $19.00 in Zenica vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 vs $288 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 66% in total monthly costs ($884 vs $1,467 including rent). Zenica is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 52% 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: $195 in Zenica versus $1,022 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 67% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $149 in Zenica versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $884 in Zenica versus $1,467 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 66% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.