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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $455 in Dahab, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $741 in Dahab, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,027 in Dahab, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 222% more than Dahab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Dahab is 66% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$3.52 E£183

274.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$15.71 E£814

243.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.73 E£245

99.15%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$1.51 E£78.1

135.10%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.29 E£14.94

458.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.12 E£6.28

825.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.21 E£62.6

157.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.89 E£150

60.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$0.89 E£46.16

91.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.58 E£30.06

368.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$0.71 E£36.64

169.01%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.43 E£74.3

77.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$3.29 E£171

204.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.32 E£224

87.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$8.54 E£442

36.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.42 E£73.3

109.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$0.54 E£27.86

235.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$0.42 E£21.87

378.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$0.39 E£20.37

420.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.41 E£21.12

417.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.44 E£22.73

415.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.24 E£12.47

483.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.21 E£10.63

438.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$1.93 E£100

121.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$6.67 E£345

133.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.36 E£70.6

29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.79 E£92.5

101.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.18 E£9.55

111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.42 E£21.72

228.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.31 E£16.13

-9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$1.97 E£102

176.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.31 E£15.85

319.35%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$34.9K E£1.8M

-46.43%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$33.5K E£1.7M

-30.99%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$11.95 E£619

241.92%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$6.54 E£339

309.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$10.64 E£551

181.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$22.64 E£1,173

129.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$2.91 E£151

116.49%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$88.1 E£4,563

395.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$1,883 E£97.5K

453.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$27.67 E£1,433

104.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$47.99 E£2,486

-7.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$111 E£5,736

-7.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$50.0 E£2,591

110.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$190 E£9,847

437.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$98.4 E£5,096

541.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$305 E£15.8K

600.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$178 E£9,196

600.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$137 E£7,103

713.25%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dahab: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $190 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 713% 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: $288 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 222%, 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 $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $683 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 $1,467 in Mexico City and $455 in Dahab. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $88.1 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 $455, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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.