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 $1,646 per month in Mexico City vs $471 in Dahab, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,613 per month in Mexico City vs $781 in Dahab, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,580 per month in Mexico City vs $1,090 in Dahab, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 250% more than Dahab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 20% above the global median, while Dahab is 66% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$206

$3.84 E£196

215.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$887

$13.74 E£701

280.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$185

$5.03 E£257

116.70%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.8

$1.57 E£80.3

157.96%

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

$1.72 MX$29.13

$0.51 E£25.78

237.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.40

$0.26 E£13.19

430.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.9

$2.02 E£103

71.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.7

$2.53 E£129

129.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.48

$0.99 E£50.7

86.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.7

$1.20 E£61.2

168.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.42

$0.73 E£37.05

186.30%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.41

$1.40 E£71.5

107.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$212

$10.67 E£544

17.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$3.82 E£195

164.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$270

$10.70 E£546

48.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.3

$2.41 E£123

37.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.12

$1.55 E£79.1

37.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.20

$0.67 E£33.96

226.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.57

$0.61 E£30.96

301.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.18

$0.57 E£29.06

284.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.35

$0.61 E£31.04

211.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$0.92 E£46.97

76.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.92

$0.22 E£11.17

513.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$92.1

$1.60 E£81.4

239.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$299

$6.79 E£346

159.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.12

$1.68 E£85.7

23.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.77

$0.18 E£9.12

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$366

$7.83 E£399

175.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.65

$0.81 E£41.24

151.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$0.47 E£24.02

244.68%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

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

$26.7K MX$452.8K

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

$65.2 MX$1,108

$18.48 E£943

253.03%

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

$29.87 MX$507

$7.02 E£358

325.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$621

$17.99 E£918

103.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,036

$16.04 E£818

280.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$453

$9.65 E£492

176.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$4.79 E£244

43.01%

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

$453 MX$7,700

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$227.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,273

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$939

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,929

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,083

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.3K

$200 E£10.2K

467.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.1K

$132 E£6,731

439.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.7K

$541 E£27.6K

375.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.3K

$322 E£16.4K

307.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.8K

$137 E£6,987

664.19%

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 Dahab: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,134 in Mexico City versus $200 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 664% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $14.00 in Dahab. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $172 – 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 250%, 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 $2,469 per month in Mexico City and $706 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 $1,646 in Mexico City and $471 in Dahab. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City and $14.00 in Dahab. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dahab, where all-in costs run around $471, than in Mexico City at $1,646. 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.