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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Mexico City is roughly 101% more expensive than in 'ali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$6.70 BHD 2.53

81.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$53.8 BHD 20.28

0.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$7.53 BHD 2.84

47.28%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$4.84 BHD 1.83

-15.29%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.83 BHD 0.31

102.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.30 BHD 0.11

363.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$6.48 BHD 2.44

-48.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$9.97 BHD 3.76

-41.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.48 BHD 0.56

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.07 BHD 0.40

196.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$2.30 BHD 0.87

-10.00%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.33 BHD 0.88

25.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$8.71 BHD 3.28

44.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$6.42 BHD 2.42

57.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$8.79 BHD 3.31

83.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.41 BHD 0.91

40.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$2.23 BHD 0.84

-6.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.87 BHD 0.70

13.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.38 BHD 0.52

74.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.00 BHD 0.38

113.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.42 BHD 0.53

41.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$1.54 BHD 0.58

0.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.84 BHD 0.32

61.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$5.41 BHD 2.04

6.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$18.77 BHD 7.07

-5.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$3.49 BHD 1.32

-40.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.67 BHD 1.01

72.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$5.17 BHD 1.95

-60.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$3.47 BHD 1.31

-83.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$15.67 BHD 5.91

-61.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.70 BHD 0.26

121.43%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$36.5K BHD 13.8K

-37.36%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$20.9K BHD 7,894

30.03%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$151 BHD 57.1

-55.47%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$24.86 BHD 9.37

23.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$35.36 BHD 13.33

5.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$10.71 BHD 4.04

-33.61%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$480 BHD 181

-5.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$10.8K BHD 4,063

27.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$50.3 BHD 18.94

47.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$58.5 BHD 22.05

-2.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$89.6 BHD 33.77

28.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$91.2 BHD 34.37

33.26%

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)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$3,759 BHD 1,417

-71.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.21

81.96%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for 'ali: September 7, 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 Mexico City vs $54.0 in 'ali. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $251, with 'ali cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

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

On paper, salaries run 247% lower in 'ali. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

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 $1,677 per month in Mexico City versus $835 in 'ali – 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, Mexico City and 'ali 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.