Cost of Living Comparison Between 'ali and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between 'ali and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $835 in 'ali versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,311 in 'ali versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,786 in 'ali versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in 'ali costs roughly 50% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: 'ali is 39% below, Mexico City is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.70 BHD 2.53

$12.14 MX$206

-44.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 BHD 20.28

$53.9 MX$914

-0.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 BHD 2.84

$11.09 MX$188

-32.10%

Cappuccino

$4.84 BHD 1.83

$4.10 MX$69.5

18.05%

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

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$1.68 MX$28.53

-50.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 BHD 0.11

$1.39 MX$23.55

-78.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.48 BHD 2.44

$3.33 MX$56.5

94.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.97 BHD 3.76

$5.88 MX$99.7

69.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 BHD 0.56

$1.85 MX$31.41

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 BHD 0.40

$3.17 MX$53.8

-66.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BHD 0.87

$2.07 MX$35.13

11.11%

Eggs

$2.33 BHD 0.88

$2.93 MX$49.67

-20.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 BHD 3.28

$12.59 MX$214

-30.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 BHD 2.42

$10.11 MX$172

-36.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.79 BHD 3.31

$16.09 MX$273

-45.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 BHD 0.91

$3.39 MX$57.5

-28.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 BHD 0.84

$2.08 MX$35.26

7.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 BHD 0.70

$2.12 MX$35.97

-11.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 BHD 0.52

$2.41 MX$40.95

-42.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 BHD 0.38

$2.13 MX$36.11

-53.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 BHD 0.53

$2.01 MX$34.02

-29.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 BHD 0.58

$1.55 MX$26.21

-0.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 BHD 0.32

$1.36 MX$23.15

-38.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 BHD 2.04

$5.77 MX$97.8

-6.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 BHD 7.07

$17.74 MX$301

5.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 BHD 1.32

$2.07 MX$35.11

68.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 BHD 1.01

$4.61 MX$78.3

-42.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 BHD 1.95

$2.05 MX$34.84

152.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.47 BHD 1.31

$0.58 MX$9.79

498.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.67 BHD 5.91

$6.07 MX$103

158.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 BHD 0.26

$1.55 MX$26.34

-54.84%

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

$36.5K BHD 13.8K

$22.9K MX$388.1K

59.64%

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

$20.9K BHD 7,894

$27.2K MX$462.0K

-23.10%

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

$151 BHD 57.1

$67.4 MX$1,144

124.55%

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

$24.86 BHD 9.37

$30.62 MX$520

-18.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.36 BHD 13.33

$37.24 MX$632

-5.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$10.71 BHD 4.04

$7.11 MX$121

50.63%

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

$480 BHD 181

$456 MX$7,739

5.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K BHD 4,063

$13.7K MX$232.3K

-21.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 BHD 18.94

$74.2 MX$1,259

-32.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 BHD 22.05

$57.0 MX$967

2.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 BHD 33.77

$115 MX$1,958

-22.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 BHD 34.37

$122 MX$2,061

-24.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,759 BHD 1,417

$1,082 MX$18.4K

247.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

11.3

-45.04%

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

Last update for 'ali: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

'ali pays 247% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in 'ali vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $345 per month, with 'ali 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

'ali vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

'ali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 101% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 247% higher in 'ali, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $835 per month in 'ali versus $1,677 in Mexico City – a 101% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $835 in 'ali versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in 'ali but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes 'ali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, 'ali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, 'ali 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 'ali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.