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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $571 in Laghouat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $915 in Laghouat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,259 in Laghouat.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Laghouat is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$2.69 DZD 356

388.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$21.01 DZD 2,779

154.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$4.62 DZD 610

101.95%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.05 DZD 139

252.38%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.64 DZD 85.0

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.18 DZD 23.72

522.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.98 DZD 262

58.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.32 DZD 306

109.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$0.99 DZD 131

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.35 DZD 46.86

674.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$2.52 DZD 333

-24.21%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.82 DZD 240

42.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$3.65 DZD 482

168.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$6.88 DZD 910

22.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$16.87 DZD 2,230

-29.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$4.35 DZD 575

-32.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$3.76 DZD 497

-53.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.71 DZD 225

19.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.13 DZD 150

82.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.68 DZD 90.3

216.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$0.63 DZD 83.6

258.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.66 DZD 86.7

110.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.32 DZD 42.58

250.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.31 DZD 305

82.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$6.80 DZD 899

157.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.30 DZD 171

31.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.09 DZD 276

73.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.13 DZD 17.78

169.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$17.38 DZD 2,298

11.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.77 DZD 101

79.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.28 DZD 36.68

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$6.26 DZD 828

-15.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.35 DZD 46.26

288.57%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$29.0K DZD 3.8M

-34.16%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$55.4K DZD 7.3M

-57.39%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$41.14 DZD 5,439

-1.48%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$9.13 DZD 1,207

199.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$19.71 DZD 2,606

54.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$18.03 DZD 2,383

189.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$5.48 DZD 725

12.96%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$94.2 DZD 12.5K

351.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$3,647 DZD 482.2K

194.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$28.14 DZD 3,721

107.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$46.86 DZD 6,195

-4.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$56.7 DZD 7,500

82.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$71.0 DZD 9,392

53.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$127 DZD 16.8K

700.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$70.0 DZD 9,256

789.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$177 DZD 23.5K

1094.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$117 DZD 15.5K

945.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$443 DZD 58.5K

756.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$294 DZD 38.9K

617.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$354 DZD 46.7K

197.62%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Laghouat: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $127 in Laghouat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 198% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $21.00 in Laghouat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $218 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.

Average pay runs 198% 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $127 in Laghouat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,472 per month in Mexico City versus $571 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 11% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $571 in Laghouat versus $1,472 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.