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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $869 in Al Mukalla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,546 in Al Mukalla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,222 in Al Mukalla.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 68% more expensive than in Al Mukalla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Al Mukalla is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$16.60 YER 3,930

-21.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$37.53 YER 8,883

43.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$16.58 YER 3,924

-41.62%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$8.15 YER 1,929

-54.11%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$3.77 YER 891

-57.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.83 YER 197

39.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.78 YER 185

252.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$6.46 YER 1,528

-71.05%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$7.18 YER 1,700

-65.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$14.54 YER 3,442

-29.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$22.96 YER 5,434

-64.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$56.6 YER 13.4K

-79.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$12.91 YER 3,056

-76.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$4.70 YER 1,112

-61.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$4.86 YER 1,151

-58.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$3.25 YER 770

-38.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$5.46 YER 1,292

-61.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$4.14 YER 980

-45.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$2.52 YER 596

-57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

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

$40.69 MX$714

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

$26.87 MX$471

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

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

$428 MX$7,508

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Al Mukalla: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $38.00 in Al Mukalla. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $574, 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 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,185 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 97% 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 $38.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $869 in Al Mukalla versus $1,456 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 68% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.