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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,448 in Mexico City versus $562 in Laghouat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,354 in Mexico City versus $909 in Laghouat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Mexico City versus $1,257 in Laghouat.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 158% more expensive than Laghouat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Laghouat is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$2.76 DZD 366

369.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$21.22 DZD 2,814

146.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$4.74 DZD 629

104.43%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$1.06 DZD 140

253.77%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$0.69 DZD 92.1

126.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$0.19 DZD 25.25

510.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$1.94 DZD 257

67.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$2.41 DZD 320

103.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$0.99 DZD 131

71.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$0.35 DZD 46.74

662.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$2.54 DZD 337

-25.59%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$1.88 DZD 249

34.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$3.76 DZD 498

166.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$6.76 DZD 896

26.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$16.83 DZD 2,232

-29.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$4.35 DZD 576

-31.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$3.97 DZD 527

-54.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$1.71 DZD 226

16.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$1.13 DZD 150

73.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$0.70 DZD 93.2

208.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$0.67 DZD 88.2

238.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$0.66 DZD 87.5

112.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$0.32 DZD 42.73

246.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$2.30 DZD 305

82.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$6.89 DZD 913

140.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$1.30 DZD 172

29.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$2.10 DZD 278

70.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$0.10 DZD 13.69

290.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

$17.59 DZD 2,333

9.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$0.75 DZD 99.6

84.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$0.28 DZD 37.06

7.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$6.17 DZD 818

-12.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$0.37 DZD 49.37

248.65%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$29.3K DZD 3.9M

-35.48%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$55.6K DZD 7.4M

-57.20%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$41.36 DZD 5,484

-3.63%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$9.53 DZD 1,263

192.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$19.86 DZD 2,634

49.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$18.10 DZD 2,400

187.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$5.36 DZD 711

16.98%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$95.0 DZD 12.6K

355.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$3,602 DZD 477.6K

192.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$28.15 DZD 3,733

102.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$45.63 DZD 6,051

-0.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$56.1 DZD 7,434

81.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$70.3 DZD 9,323

54.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$123 DZD 16.3K

710.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$71.1 DZD 9,431

767.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$174 DZD 23.1K

1097.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$115 DZD 15.3K

988.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

$448 DZD 59.4K

778.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

$303 DZD 40.2K

589.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

$362 DZD 48.0K

212.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.42

109.23%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Laghouat: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $994 in Mexico City and $123 in Laghouat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 213% 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 $21.00 in Laghouat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $219 per month, with Laghouat 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 Laghouat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Laghouat is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 158% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 213% more on average, 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: $994 in Mexico City versus $123 in Laghouat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,448 per month in Mexico City versus $562 in Laghouat – a 158% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Laghouat runs roughly 9% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $562 in Laghouat versus $1,448 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Laghouat but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Laghouat the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Laghouat 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 Laghouat 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 Laghouat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 158% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.