Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Algiers Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Algiers

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $618 in Algiers.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,018 in Algiers.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,418 in Algiers.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 166% more expensive than in Algiers, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Algiers is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$3.41 DZD 451

255.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$29.01 DZD 3,844

80.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$4.54 DZD 602

140.09%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$1.11 DZD 147

264.86%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$0.67 DZD 89.0

156.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$0.30 DZD 40.09

360.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$2.26 DZD 300

53.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$2.27 DZD 301

155.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$0.86 DZD 114

115.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$0.15 DZD 19.33

2046.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$1.16 DZD 153

80.17%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$1.34 DZD 178

117.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$8.38 DZD 1,111

49.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$4.07 DZD 539

148.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$14.73 DZD 1,952

7.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$2.19 DZD 290

51.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$2.85 DZD 378

-25.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$1.16 DZD 154

88.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$0.99 DZD 131

147.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$0.61 DZD 80.7

259.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$0.48 DZD 63.3

295.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.83 DZD 111

95.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$0.26 DZD 34.36

419.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$3.19 DZD 422

70.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$6.92 DZD 917

154.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$1.32 DZD 174

56.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$2.00 DZD 264

137.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$0.38 DZD 50.6

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

$7.04 DZD 933

206.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

$0.55 DZD 73.3

270.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.48 DZD 63.7

20.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$5.67 DZD 752

5.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.34 DZD 45.33

376.47%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

$37.2K DZD 4.9M

-38.65%

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

$36.2K DZD 4.8M

-26.43%

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$46.04 DZD 6,101

41.70%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$10.60 DZD 1,405

181.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$12.68 DZD 1,681

188.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$25.63 DZD 3,396

138.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$28.03 DZD 3,715

-4.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$4.68 DZD 620

46.37%

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

$453 MX$7,664

$563 DZD 74.6K

-19.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$6,582 DZD 872.2K

103.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$33.82 DZD 4,482

121.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$35.66 DZD 4,726

55.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$71.0 DZD 9,412

59.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$84.7 DZD 11.2K

44.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$170 DZD 22.5K

567.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$133 DZD 17.7K

433.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

$456 DZD 60.4K

463.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$247 DZD 32.8K

430.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$2,564 DZD 339.7K

55.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$1,404 DZD 186.0K

49.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$347 DZD 46.0K

201.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.3

113.21%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Algiers: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $170 in Algiers. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 202% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $29.00 in Algiers for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $181 per month, with Algiers 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 Algiers: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Algiers is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 166% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 202% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $170 in Algiers. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Algiers – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,646 per month in Mexico City versus $618 in Algiers – a 166% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $618 in Algiers versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Algiers but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Algiers the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Algiers 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 Algiers 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 Algiers gentler on the wallet – expenses run 166% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.