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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $508 in Laghouat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $836 in Laghouat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,165 in Laghouat.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 227% more expensive than in Laghouat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Laghouat is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$3.59 DZD 478

232.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$21.18 DZD 2,819

143.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$4.69 DZD 624

143.28%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$1.06 DZD 141

276.42%

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

$1.66 MX$28.58

$0.64 DZD 85.0

159.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.85

$0.16 DZD 21.42

731.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$1.50 DZD 200

131.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.14 DZD 285

175.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.32

$1.03 DZD 138

82.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.17 DZD 22.73

1811.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.23

$2.66 DZD 354

-18.80%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.89

$1.82 DZD 242

59.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$4.34 DZD 578

196.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.81 DZD 774

72.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$15.33 DZD 2,040

3.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$3.86 DZD 514

-14.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.56

$3.80 DZD 506

-47.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.89

$2.19 DZD 291

0.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.58

$1.09 DZD 145

116.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.39

$0.60 DZD 79.8

241.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.76

$0.62 DZD 82.9

206.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.60 DZD 80.4

168.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.06

$0.30 DZD 39.61

366.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$2.43 DZD 323

124.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$7.14 DZD 950

147.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.40

$1.33 DZD 177

54.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$2.03 DZD 270

130.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.13 DZD 17.91

161.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

$6.37 DZD 848

226.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.12

$0.75 DZD 100

180.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.32 DZD 42.07

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$6.27 DZD 834

-7.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.66

$0.35 DZD 45.99

360.00%

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

$22.8K MX$393.4K

$30.4K DZD 4.1M

-24.96%

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

$26.8K MX$460.8K

$44.4K DZD 5.9M

-39.73%

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

$65.2 MX$1,123

$38.56 DZD 5,133

69.04%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$6.61 DZD 880

355.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$16.81 DZD 2,238

121.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$14.24 DZD 1,896

319.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.75 DZD 633

48.21%

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

$465 MX$8,003

$60.1 DZD 7,998

673.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$3,388 DZD 451.0K

291.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$29.16 DZD 3,881

160.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$964

$34.79 DZD 4,630

60.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,927

$56.5 DZD 7,526

97.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,076

$70.5 DZD 9,384

70.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$100 DZD 13.3K

999.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$56.3 DZD 7,487

1181.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$163 DZD 21.7K

1451.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$110 DZD 14.6K

1079.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

$446 DZD 59.4K

794.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$309 DZD 41.1K

577.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$363 DZD 48.3K

185.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.3

113.21%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Laghouat: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $100 in Laghouat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 186% 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 $345 vs $208 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 227% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 186% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $100 in Laghouat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $508 in Laghouat – a 227% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Laghouat runs roughly 227% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $508 in Laghouat versus $1,660 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 227% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.