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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $636 in Laayoune, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,030 in Laayoune, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,425 in Laayoune, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 129% more than Laayoune, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Laayoune is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$3.88 MAD 36.21

236.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$28.55 MAD 266

88.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$4.76 MAD 44.36

103.36%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.65 MAD 15.41

126.67%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.49 MAD 4.55

230.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.32 MAD 2.95

262.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$3.55 MAD 33.08

-9.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$4.65 MAD 43.34

1.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$0.84 MAD 7.85

96.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.57 MAD 5.27

382.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.90 MAD 17.73

-1.58%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.35 MAD 12.62

85.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$11.72 MAD 109

-12.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$3.37 MAD 31.45

144.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$9.36 MAD 87.3

26.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$1.48 MAD 13.78

103.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.14 MAD 10.64

58.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$0.66 MAD 6.17

203.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$0.56 MAD 5.20

257.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.45 MAD 4.18

362.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$0.36 MAD 3.38

530.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.90 MAD 8.38

62.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.56 MAD 5.19

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$3.54 MAD 32.97

1.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.55 MAD 5.16

-29.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$11.63 MAD 108

60.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$0.70 MAD 6.56

90.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.65 MAD 6.07

-56.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.28 MAD 11.94

4.69%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$38.8K MAD 362.1K

-50.01%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$26.7K MAD 248.8K

-10.67%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$32.84 MAD 306

23.90%

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

$26.87 MX$471

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$22.31 MAD 208

36.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$22.79 MAD 213

131.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$34.89 MAD 325

-23.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$3.39 MAD 31.60

92.04%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$290 MAD 2,707

47.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$3,451 MAD 32.2K

204.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$34.98 MAD 326

63.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$56.9 MAD 531

-20.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$75.3 MAD 702

38.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$79.8 MAD 744

35.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$347 MAD 3,237

189.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$177 MAD 1,647

252.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$698 MAD 6,505

202.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$285 MAD 2,658

327.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Laayoune: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $347 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: $292 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 129%, 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 $2,185 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 100% 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 $1,456. 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.