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 $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $537 in El Kef, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $861 in El Kef, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $1,185 in El Kef, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 170% more than El Kef, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while El Kef is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.47 TND 10.12

274.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$13.58 TND 39.63

287.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.30 TND 9.62

185.76%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$0.67 TND 1.94

432.84%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.54 TND 1.56

198.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.25 TND 0.73

360.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$0.87 TND 2.53

262.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$1.05 TND 3.06

362.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$0.44 TND 1.29

286.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.15 TND 0.45

1660.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.51 TND 4.40

25.83%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.56 TND 4.54

62.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$11.18 TND 32.63

-9.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.65 TND 16.48

46.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$13.41 TND 39.12

-13.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.18 TND 6.36

38.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.73 TND 5.06

-1.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.04 TND 3.05

97.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.59 TND 1.71

249.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.43 TND 1.25

379.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.18 TND 0.53

1105.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.52 TND 1.51

169.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.31 TND 0.91

261.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$3.48 TND 10.14

23.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$4.47 TND 13.04

244.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$0.65 TND 1.90

156.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.01 TND 2.94

265.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.32 TND 0.95

18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$10.36 TND 30.22

83.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.30 TND 0.87

360.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.27 TND 0.79

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$7.34 TND 21.42

-26.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.78 TND 2.28

64.10%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$35.8K TND 104.4K

-46.96%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$34.4K TND 100.3K

-31.74%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$27.33 TND 79.7

50.09%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$9.33 TND 27.23

188.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$14.20 TND 41.43

109.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$29.45 TND 85.9

77.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$12.95 TND 37.79

102.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$4.52 TND 13.18

36.73%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$67.0 TND 196

537.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$2,456 TND 7,166

335.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$23.95 TND 69.9

137.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$43.50 TND 127

3.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$40.41 TND 118

158.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$66.0 TND 193

60.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$196 TND 571

408.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$137 TND 399

354.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$371 TND 1,082

473.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$274 TND 800

357.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,079 TND 3,148

261.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$646 TND 1,883

224.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$172 TND 503

542.37%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for El Kef: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $196 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 542% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $14.00 in El Kef. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 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 170%, 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 $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $805 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 84% less in El Kef. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $427 per month in Mexico City and $67.0 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 $537, than in Mexico City at $1,447. 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.