Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Jal el Dib Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Jal el Dib

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $998 in Jal el Dib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,614 in Jal el Dib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,230 in Jal el Dib.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 66% more expensive than in Jal el Dib, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Jal el Dib is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$11.89 LBP 1.1M

0.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$63.9 LBP 5.7M

-19.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$10.19 LBP 912.1K

11.97%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$4.62 LBP 413.4K

-13.64%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$2.37 LBP 212.0K

-29.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.86 LBP 76.6K

54.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$5.12 LBP 458.5K

-32.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$5.11 LBP 457.6K

15.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.88 LBP 168.1K

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$0.87 LBP 77.9K

273.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$2.16 LBP 193.7K

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$3.66 LBP 327.3K

-20.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$13.51 LBP 1.2M

-4.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$10.73 LBP 960.0K

-6.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$14.01 LBP 1.3M

13.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$3.09 LBP 276.5K

6.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.64 LBP 147.2K

22.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$1.64 LBP 146.4K

34.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$1.53 LBP 136.6K

54.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$1.36 LBP 121.4K

50.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$1.66 LBP 148.4K

14.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.17 LBP 104.7K

37.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.72 LBP 64.8K

94.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$2.94 LBP 262.9K

85.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$10.18 LBP 911.5K

73.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$1.33 LBP 119.3K

54.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$2.57 LBP 229.7K

82.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$5.04 LBP 450.9K

-58.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$2.28 LBP 203.7K

-75.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$22.52 LBP 2.0M

-74.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.04 LBP 93.1K

54.81%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$52.8K LBP 4.7B

-56.73%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$32.9K LBP 2.9B

-18.77%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$230 LBP 20.6M

-71.70%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$23.29 LBP 2.1M

29.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$38.35 LBP 3.4M

-3.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$10.08 LBP 901.9K

-30.16%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$679 LBP 60.7M

-31.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$10.7K LBP 959.5M

23.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$67.8 LBP 6.1M

11.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$48.37 LBP 4.3M

15.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$140 LBP 12.5M

-20.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$119 LBP 10.6M

1.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

2.73%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Jal el Dib: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $64.0 in Jal el Dib. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $279, with Jal el Dib cheaper for home cooking.

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 Jal el Dib: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jal el Dib is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $1,497 in Jal el Dib to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $679 in Jal el Dib. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Jal el Dib – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $998 in Jal el Dib versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jal el Dib but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Jal el Dib the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jal el Dib is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Jal el Dib 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 Jal el Dib gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.