Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Al-birah Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Al-birah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $1,111 in Al-birah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,911 in Al-birah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $2,710 in Al-birah, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 30% more than Al-birah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Al-birah is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$9.03 ₪26.34

43.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$42.76 ₪125

23.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$11.08 ₪32.31

-14.89%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$3.57 ₪10.42

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.81 ₪2.35

98.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.61 ₪1.78

88.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$5.66 ₪16.51

-44.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$5.49 ₪16.01

-11.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.94 ₪5.65

-12.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.58 ₪1.70

355.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.54 ₪7.39

-25.20%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.18 ₪6.36

16.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$6.04 ₪17.62

66.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$6.63 ₪19.34

25.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$15.46 ₪45.07

-25.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.60 ₪7.58

16.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.42 ₪4.15

20.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.39 ₪4.04

47.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.94 ₪5.65

6.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.04 ₪3.03

98.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.33 ₪3.88

63.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.44 ₪4.19

-2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.87 ₪2.55

28.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$7.52 ₪21.92

-42.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.79 ₪8.13

-40.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.44 ₪7.12

51.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.96 ₪2.80

-60.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$58.1 ₪169

-67.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$2.89 ₪8.43

-52.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.33 ₪3.88

-78.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$14.03 ₪40.90

-61.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.92 ₪5.59

-33.33%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$36.1K ₪105.2K

-47.40%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$45.6K ₪132.8K

-48.50%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$84.8 ₪247

-51.60%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$19.12 ₪55.8

40.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$47.23 ₪138

-37.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$55.4 ₪161

-5.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$27.74 ₪80.9

-5.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$8.54 ₪24.90

-27.63%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$211 ₪615

102.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$3,777 ₪11.0K

183.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$42.28 ₪123

34.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$38.03 ₪111

17.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$55.2 ₪161

89.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$42.43 ₪124

149.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$350 ₪1,020

184.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$321 ₪936

93.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$838 ₪2,444

153.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$939 ₪2,738

33.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.62

101.78%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Al-birah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $350 in Al-birah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $43.00 in Al-birah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $219 – making Al-birah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Al-birah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City, $1,111 in Al-birah – roughly 30% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,667 in Al-birah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-birah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City and $43.00 in Al-birah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al-birah, where all-in costs run around $1,111, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Al-birah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,111 in Al-birah to $1,447 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al-birah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.