Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Al Mukalla Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Al Mukalla

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $870 in Al Mukalla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,554 in Al Mukalla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $2,238 in Al Mukalla.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 69% more expensive than Al Mukalla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Al Mukalla is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$16.72 YER 3,985

-21.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$37.33 YER 8,895

44.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$16.27 YER 3,877

-42.10%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$8.09 YER 1,929

-56.12%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$3.77 YER 899

-57.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.78 YER 186

42.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.86 YER 205

216.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$6.60 YER 1,572

-71.06%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$7.29 YER 1,738

-65.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$14.27 YER 3,401

-29.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$23.34 YER 5,561

-65.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$58.5 YER 13.9K

-80.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$12.76 YER 3,042

-76.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$4.83 YER 1,151

-62.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$4.80 YER 1,144

-58.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$3.20 YER 764

-36.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$5.21 YER 1,243

-59.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$4.16 YER 990

-45.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$2.48 YER 591

-54.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

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

$40.86 MX$707

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

$26.81 MX$464

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

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

$436 MX$7,544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al Mukalla: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $37.00 in Al Mukalla. Groceries flip the comparison at $288 vs $581, with Mexico City 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 Al Mukalla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Mukalla is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,201 in Mexico City and $1,304 in Al Mukalla to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Mexico City pay roughly 101% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Mukalla – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $870 in Al Mukalla versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Mukalla but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Al Mukalla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Mukalla 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.

Expats usually find Al Mukalla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.