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 $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $571 in El Kef, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $907 in El Kef, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $1,242 in El Kef, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 191% more than El Kef, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while El Kef is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$3.47 TND 10.10

243.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$13.93 TND 40.53

270.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$5.25 TND 15.27

117.33%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$0.66 TND 1.92

504.55%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.49 TND 1.44

238.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.23 TND 0.67

478.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$0.98 TND 2.84

254.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$1.05 TND 3.06

461.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$0.47 TND 1.37

300.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$0.23 TND 0.67

1313.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$1.33 TND 3.87

62.41%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$1.58 TND 4.59

83.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$12.64 TND 36.76

1.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.87 TND 17.07

71.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$14.06 TND 40.91

12.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$1.88 TND 5.46

75.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.75 TND 5.10

14.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$1.01 TND 2.93

117.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$0.61 TND 1.77

286.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$0.43 TND 1.24

376.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$0.17 TND 0.49

1017.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.59 TND 1.72

172.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.30 TND 0.86

366.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$3.46 TND 10.08

57.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$4.54 TND 13.19

288.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$0.65 TND 1.89

216.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$0.98 TND 2.84

377.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.33 TND 0.95

3.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$10.21 TND 29.71

103.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$0.32 TND 0.92

556.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$0.29 TND 0.83

93.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$7.56 TND 21.99

-23.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$0.84 TND 2.45

91.67%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$36.6K TND 106.6K

-37.66%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$35.2K TND 102.5K

-24.10%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$27.15 TND 79.0

140.07%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$9.64 TND 28.05

212.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$14.57 TND 42.40

155.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$27.89 TND 81.1

114.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$13.82 TND 40.21

92.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.52 TND 13.15

55.75%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$69.6 TND 203

567.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$2,470 TND 7,184

437.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$24.08 TND 70.0

215.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$37.41 TND 109

49.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$40.67 TND 118

175.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$69.6 TND 203

73.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$213 TND 619

417.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$156 TND 454

361.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$373 TND 1,086

577.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$277 TND 806

366.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$972 TND 2,827

310.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$640 TND 1,862

226.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$172 TND 499

504.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

13.6

-16.91%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for El Kef: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $213 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 505% 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 El Kef. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $177 – 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 191%, 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 $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $856 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 104% less in El Kef. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $465 per month in Mexico City and $69.6 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 $571, than in Mexico City at $1,660. 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.