Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and El Kef Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and El Kef

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $542 in El Kef, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $887 in El Kef, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $1,232 in El Kef, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 172% more than El Kef, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while El Kef is 59% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$3.46 TND 10.16

279.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$13.33 TND 39.12

301.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$3.32 TND 9.74

181.02%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$0.66 TND 1.93

460.61%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.53 TND 1.55

201.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.25 TND 0.74

348.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$0.92 TND 2.71

241.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$1.00 TND 2.95

385.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$0.48 TND 1.40

243.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.17 TND 0.51

1494.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.48 TND 4.34

29.05%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.54 TND 4.51

68.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$11.08 TND 32.52

-11.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$5.66 TND 16.61

48.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$13.42 TND 39.38

-11.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.17 TND 6.36

35.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.74 TND 5.09

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.03 TND 3.03

98.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.64 TND 1.88

221.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.40 TND 1.17

437.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$0.15 TND 0.43

1406.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.48 TND 1.41

189.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.29 TND 0.84

286.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$3.40 TND 9.98

24.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$4.43 TND 13.01

295.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$0.65 TND 1.90

163.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$1.00 TND 2.95

263.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.35 TND 1.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$10.13 TND 29.73

90.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.32 TND 0.94

331.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.29 TND 0.86

-3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$7.62 TND 22.37

-30.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.78 TND 2.28

74.36%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$35.2K TND 103.3K

-45.71%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$34.8K TND 102.0K

-32.11%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$26.70 TND 78.4

51.80%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$9.48 TND 27.83

188.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$14.07 TND 41.28

115.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$29.03 TND 85.2

79.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$12.66 TND 37.16

109.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$4.48 TND 13.14

38.17%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$68.5 TND 201

520.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$2,473 TND 7,256

334.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$24.09 TND 70.7

142.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$44.09 TND 129

1.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$41.42 TND 122

149.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$65.1 TND 191

66.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$198 TND 580

413.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$133 TND 390

368.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$374 TND 1,099

466.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$268 TND 786

356.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,048 TND 3,076

261.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$702 TND 2,060

200.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$169 TND 495

523.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

13.6

-16.62%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for El Kef: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $198 in El Kef. 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 523% 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 $13.00 in El Kef. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $170 – making El Kef 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 El Kef: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 172%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $813 in El Kef. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 91% less in El Kef. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $425 per month in Mexico City and $68.5 in El Kef. 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 El Kef, where all-in costs run around $542, than in Mexico City at $1,472. In El Kef it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward El Kef – 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 El Kef. 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.