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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $829 in Al Mukalla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,663 in Al Mukalla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $2,498 in Al Mukalla.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 99% more expensive than in Al Mukalla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Al Mukalla is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$16.67 YER 3,946

-27.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$85.8 YER 20.3K

-39.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$8.53 YER 2,020

-52.52%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$0.82 YER 195

68.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$10.65 YER 2,521

-72.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$14.47 YER 3,426

-13.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$26.13 YER 6,184

-61.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$60.1 YER 14.2K

-73.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$14.94 YER 3,538

-77.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$6.17 YER 1,461

-65.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$5.09 YER 1,205

-56.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$3.39 YER 802

-27.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$7.55 YER 1,787

-70.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$4.17 YER 987

-54.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$2.49 YER 590

-45.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

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

$29.87 MX$505

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

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

$453 MX$7,664

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Al Mukalla: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $86.0 in Al Mukalla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $607 per month, with Mexico City 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 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 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,469 in Mexico City and $1,243 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 76% 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 $86.0 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $829 in Al Mukalla versus $1,646 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 99% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.