Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Guelma Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Guelma

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $553 in Guelma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $881 in Guelma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,208 in Guelma.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 200% more expensive than in Guelma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Guelma is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$3.19 DZD 425

273.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$17.03 DZD 2,266

202.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$4.08 DZD 544

179.66%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$0.74 DZD 98.9

439.19%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$0.66 DZD 88.0

151.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.30 DZD 40.29

343.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$1.53 DZD 204

126.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.12 DZD 283

178.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$0.91 DZD 121

106.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$0.14 DZD 19.07

2221.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$1.15 DZD 153

87.83%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$1.39 DZD 185

108.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$8.22 DZD 1,094

56.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.05 DZD 539

148.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$14.66 DZD 1,952

8.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$2.19 DZD 291

50.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$2.84 DZD 377

-29.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.12 DZD 148

96.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$0.93 DZD 124

153.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$0.65 DZD 86.2

215.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$0.51 DZD 68.0

272.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$0.71 DZD 94.5

126.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.26 DZD 34.53

438.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$2.75 DZD 366

98.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$6.90 DZD 918

155.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$1.13 DZD 151

82.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$1.94 DZD 259

141.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.17 DZD 22.74

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

$6.02 DZD 802

245.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.59 DZD 78.6

255.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.42 DZD 56.1

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$5.04 DZD 671

15.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.36 DZD 48.39

347.22%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$36.3K DZD 4.8M

-37.04%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$35.7K DZD 4.8M

-25.09%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$38.32 DZD 5,100

70.09%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$9.03 DZD 1,202

233.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$12.46 DZD 1,658

198.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$20.91 DZD 2,783

185.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.58 DZD 609

53.71%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$100 DZD 13.3K

363.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$3,647 DZD 485.5K

263.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$32.92 DZD 4,382

130.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$35.23 DZD 4,689

58.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$70.1 DZD 9,325

59.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$76.3 DZD 10.2K

57.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$158 DZD 21.1K

596.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$106 DZD 14.1K

579.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$283 DZD 37.7K

794.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$210 DZD 28.0K

515.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

$1,275 DZD 169.7K

213.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$387 DZD 51.5K

440.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$314 DZD 41.7K

230.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.3

113.21%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Guelma: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $158 in Guelma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 231% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $17.00 in Guelma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $179 per month, with Guelma cheaper across the board.

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 Guelma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Guelma differ by about 200% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $553 including rent). Guelma is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 231% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $158 in Guelma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 93% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Guelma – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $553 in Guelma versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Guelma but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Guelma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Guelma are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Guelma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 200% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.