Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Kairouan

For one person, living is cheaper in Kairouan: $613 a month against $1,548 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Kairouan
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$613
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Kairouan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Kairouan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,548 per month in Mexico City vs $613 in Kairouan, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,548
  • Kairouan $613

A couple spends around $2,436 per month in Mexico City vs $965 in Kairouan, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,436
  • Kairouan $965

A family of three spends $3,323 per month in Mexico City vs $1,316 in Kairouan, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,323
  • Kairouan $1,316

Mexico City costs about 153% more than Kairouan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mexico City sits 14% above the global median, while Kairouan is 55% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Kairouan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.02 MX$204
$2.65 TND 7.93
315.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.68 MX$900
$16.21 TND 48.56
200.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.90 MX$201
$6.15 TND 18.42
77.24%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.1
$0.96 TND 2.87
283.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 MX$30.18
$0.84 TND 2.53
94.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 MX$23.07
$0.37 TND 1.12
237.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.25 MX$60.1
$1.64 TND 4.91
98.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.53 MX$102
$2.63 TND 7.87
110.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Kairouan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$31.50
$0.46 TND 1.37
269.57%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$0.08 TND 0.24
3675.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.53
$1.71 TND 5.11
12.28%
Eggs
$2.73 MX$50.5
$1.50 TND 4.49
82.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.77 MX$218
$9.90 TND 29.64
18.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 MX$176
$5.65 TND 16.92
68.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.41 MX$266
$11.68 TND 34.97
23.37%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$2.19 TND 6.55
37.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.01
$2.20 TND 6.58
-14.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.70
$1.17 TND 3.49
70.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$40.38
$0.76 TND 2.27
188.16%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.43
$0.70 TND 2.10
174.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 MX$34.49
$0.66 TND 1.97
183.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 MX$26.62
$0.50 TND 1.48
188.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.39
$0.24 TND 0.71
429.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22 MX$96.4
$3.33 TND 9.96
56.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.17 MX$299
$6.78 TND 20.30
138.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 MX$35.03
$1.25 TND 3.73
52.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 MX$78.0
$1.46 TND 4.39
189.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Kairouan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 MX$6.30
$0.34 TND 1.02
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.65 MX$363
$11.10 TND 33.26
77.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.00 MX$36.90
$0.29 TND 0.86
589.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 MX$9.67
$0.29 TND 0.86
79.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.34 MX$98.7
$1.82 TND 5.46
193.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$28.13
$0.73 TND 2.18
108.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1K MX$408.0K
$38.8K TND 116.3K
-43.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K MX$452.9K
$36.2K TND 108.6K
-32.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Kairouan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.1 MX$1,129
$60.7 TND 182
0.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.58 MX$528
$8.89 TND 26.63
221.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.47 MX$637
$20.10 TND 60.2
71.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Kairouan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,042
$23.26 TND 69.7
142.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.88 MX$460
$12.84 TND 38.45
93.77%
Cinema Ticket
$6.66 MX$123
$4.77 TND 14.28
39.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Kairouan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$427 MX$7,891
$108 TND 322
296.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K MX$215.0K
$3,227 TND 9,666
260.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Kairouan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.8 MX$1,253
$23.82 TND 71.4
184.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.0 MX$960
$61.5 TND 184
-15.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 MX$1,959
$46.99 TND 141
125.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 MX$2,080
$83.4 TND 250
34.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Kairouan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,025 MX$18.9K
$118 TND 354
768.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$654 MX$12.1K
$135 TND 404
384.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,308 MX$42.7K
$376 TND 1,126
513.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,242 MX$22.9K
$271 TND 813
357.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,613 MX$66.8K
$890 TND 2,665
305.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,936 MX$35.8K
$601 TND 1,800
222.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Kairouan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$964 MX$17.8K
$325 TND 972
196.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
10.65
6.10%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Kairouan: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$654
Kairouan
$135 79.4% $519
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$318
Kairouan
$175 45.1% $143
Eating Out
Mexico City
$204
Kairouan
$69 65.9% $134
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$152
Kairouan
$97 36.2% $55
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$124
Kairouan
$90 27.8% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$70
Kairouan
$33 52.9% $37
Getting Around
Mexico City
$26
Kairouan
$14 44.6% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,025 in Mexico City versus $118 in Kairouan. 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 197% 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 $49.00 in Mexico City versus $16.00 in Kairouan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $175 – making Kairouan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇹🇳 Kairouan
🕒 Local time
19:33 7:33 PM
02:33 2:33 AM
7 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
139,070
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Kairouan 10,380 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Kairouan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kairouan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Mexico City and in Kairouan compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,548 in Mexico City, $613 in Kairouan – roughly 153% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Kairouan?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,322 per month in Mexico City and $919 in Kairouan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Mexico City and Kairouan?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kairouan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and in Kairouan?
Public transport costs about 77% less in Kairouan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Kairouan?
Kindergarten costs $427 per month in Mexico City and $108 in Kairouan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kairouan, where all-in costs run around $613, than in Mexico City at $1,548. In Kairouan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Kairouan?
It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $613 in Kairouan to $1,548 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Mexico City or Kairouan safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Mexico City and Kairouan?
If budget matters most, go with Kairouan. 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.

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