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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $807 in 'ali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,328 in 'ali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,849 in 'ali.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 81% more expensive than in 'ali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, 'ali is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$6.79 BHD 2.56

92.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$52.9 BHD 19.94

1.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$5.19 BHD 1.96

86.51%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$5.16 BHD 1.95

-27.52%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.77 BHD 0.29

110.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.37 BHD 0.14

213.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$7.80 BHD 2.94

-58.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$10.58 BHD 3.99

-55.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.70 BHD 0.64

-2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.32 BHD 0.50

108.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$2.37 BHD 0.89

-21.10%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.51 BHD 0.94

-0.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$8.90 BHD 3.35

14.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$7.52 BHD 2.83

9.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$10.02 BHD 3.78

17.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.37 BHD 0.89

27.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$2.04 BHD 0.77

-11.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.67 BHD 0.63

19.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.21 BHD 0.46

65.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.93 BHD 0.35

123.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.07 BHD 0.40

112.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.45 BHD 0.55

0.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.88 BHD 0.33

22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$6.58 BHD 2.48

-33.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$18.82 BHD 7.09

-9.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$3.47 BHD 1.31

-50.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$3.21 BHD 1.21

11.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$4.61 BHD 1.74

-71.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$3.88 BHD 1.46

-92.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$27.03 BHD 10.19

-80.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.52 BHD 0.19

157.69%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$37.2K BHD 14.0K

-47.80%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$20.6K BHD 7,753

15.86%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$121 BHD 45.54

-66.32%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$26.75 BHD 10.08

0.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$38.21 BHD 14.40

-20.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$10.49 BHD 3.95

-37.94%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$385 BHD 145

11.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$8,940 BHD 3,370

17.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$45.23 BHD 17.05

26.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$63.1 BHD 23.78

-27.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$84.5 BHD 31.86

23.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$89.9 BHD 33.88

19.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$3,720 BHD 1,402

-72.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

8.56

32.48%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for 'ali: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

'ali pays 258% 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 $53.0 in 'ali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $264 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

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

'ali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 258% 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 11% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $807 in 'ali – a 81% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $807 in 'ali versus $1,456 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 81% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.