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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $636 in Laayoune, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,031 in Laayoune, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,426 in Laayoune, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 131% more than Laayoune, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Laayoune is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$3.76 MAD 34.63

250.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$29.45 MAD 271

83.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.61 MAD 42.44

104.34%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$1.63 MAD 14.99

117.79%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$0.51 MAD 4.70

217.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.34 MAD 3.15

226.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$3.49 MAD 32.14

-10.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$4.70 MAD 43.28

-1.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$0.85 MAD 7.79

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$0.59 MAD 5.47

361.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$1.81 MAD 16.69

5.52%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$1.38 MAD 12.66

84.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$11.63 MAD 107

-13.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$3.40 MAD 31.29

137.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$9.34 MAD 86.0

24.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$1.52 MAD 14.04

95.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.14 MAD 10.46

58.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$0.66 MAD 6.11

204.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$0.57 MAD 5.24

256.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$0.44 MAD 4.09

381.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$0.36 MAD 3.36

530.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$0.95 MAD 8.79

47.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.56 MAD 5.14

101.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$3.45 MAD 31.74

4.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.61 MAD 5.60

-37.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$11.46 MAD 106

67.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$0.72 MAD 6.64

91.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$0.69 MAD 6.33

-59.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$1.24 MAD 11.44

4.84%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$39.8K MAD 366.9K

-53.10%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$26.4K MAD 242.8K

-12.31%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$32.74 MAD 301

24.80%

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

$26.81 MX$465

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$22.73 MAD 209

31.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$23.36 MAD 215

122.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$34.91 MAD 321

-23.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$3.41 MAD 31.41

84.75%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$286 MAD 2,632

52.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$3,469 MAD 31.9K

200.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$34.51 MAD 318

64.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$57.7 MAD 531

-23.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$74.1 MAD 682

38.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$80.8 MAD 744

30.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$354 MAD 3,257

188.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$174 MAD 1,606

261.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$691 MAD 6,360

209.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$292 MAD 2,692

325.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Laayoune: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $354 in Laayoune. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $29.00 in Laayoune. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $146 – making Laayoune 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 Laayoune: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 131%, 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 $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $954 in Laayoune. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Laayoune, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 97% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $29.00 in Laayoune. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Laayoune, where all-in costs run around $636, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Laayoune it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Laayoune – 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 Laayoune. 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.