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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $469 in Dahab, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $743 in Dahab, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,017 in Dahab, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 210% more than Dahab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Dahab is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$3.58 E£183

265.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$16.09 E£822

234.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$4.51 E£230

114.63%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.45 E£73.9

157.93%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.29 E£14.80

458.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.10 E£5.11

1060.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.16 E£59.0

178.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.92 E£149

62.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$0.89 E£45.52

85.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.59 E£29.97

366.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$0.69 E£35.36

171.01%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.40 E£71.4

78.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$3.42 E£175

198.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$4.15 E£212

98.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$8.77 E£448

34.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$1.42 E£72.4

111.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$0.54 E£27.59

235.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$0.43 E£21.97

365.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$0.37 E£18.88

440.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.37 E£19.03

462.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$0.40 E£20.52

467.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.22 E£11.22

563.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.20 E£10.40

440.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$1.92 E£97.8

126.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$6.81 E£348

149.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.34 E£68.6

29.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$1.79 E£91.3

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.18 E£9.09

116.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$0.39 E£19.84

241.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.29 E£14.65

-3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$1.94 E£99.0

170.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$0.33 E£16.93

306.06%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$35.6K E£1.8M

-45.45%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$32.8K E£1.7M

-27.38%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$11.81 E£603

244.54%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$6.46 E£330

315.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$10.80 E£552

182.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$21.95 E£1,121

140.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$3.02 E£154

115.56%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$87.3 E£4,460

390.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$1,830 E£93.5K

473.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$27.77 E£1,418

106.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$48.08 E£2,456

-5.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$110 E£5,600

-5.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$50.3 E£2,569

114.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$189 E£9,651

430.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$98.5 E£5,030

532.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$306 E£15.6K

588.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$180 E£9,189

576.95%

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

$141 E£7,200

636.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

16.67

-31.97%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Dahab: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $189 in Dahab. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 636% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $16.00 in Dahab. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $124 – making Dahab 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 Dahab: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 210%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $704 in Dahab. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,456 in Mexico City and $469 in Dahab. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City and $87.3 in Dahab. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dahab, where all-in costs run around $469, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Dahab it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dahab – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Dahab. 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.