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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $573 in Laghouat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $917 in Laghouat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,262 in Laghouat.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 159% more expensive than 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

$12.98 MX$227

$2.75 DZD 365

372.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$20.90 DZD 2,769

153.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$4.71 DZD 624

106.37%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.07 DZD 142

250.47%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.69 DZD 91.4

127.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.17 DZD 21.97

564.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.90 DZD 251

67.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.33 DZD 309

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.00 DZD 132

62.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.33 DZD 43.47

721.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$2.48 DZD 329

-24.19%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.91 DZD 253

31.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$3.78 DZD 501

166.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.92 DZD 917

19.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$16.94 DZD 2,244

-29.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$4.36 DZD 578

-34.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$3.80 DZD 504

-53.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.73 DZD 229

20.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.19 DZD 158

65.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.64 DZD 85.3

237.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.66 DZD 87.5

230.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.68 DZD 89.7

104.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.29 DZD 39.08

286.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.37 DZD 314

77.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$7.07 DZD 937

101.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.34 DZD 178

31.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.09 DZD 277

76.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.10 DZD 13.58

290.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$17.75 DZD 2,352

5.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.80 DZD 106

73.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.28 DZD 36.78

7.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$6.16 DZD 817

-12.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.37 DZD 49.36

264.86%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$29.8K DZD 3.9M

-36.56%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$56.1K DZD 7.4M

-58.74%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$40.76 DZD 5,401

0.15%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$9.16 DZD 1,213

200.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$19.66 DZD 2,605

54.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$17.77 DZD 2,354

200.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$5.56 DZD 736

12.77%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$95.3 DZD 12.6K

357.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$3,636 DZD 481.8K

187.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$28.40 DZD 3,763

99.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$46.66 DZD 6,183

-4.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$56.3 DZD 7,456

82.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$71.2 DZD 9,435

51.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$126 DZD 16.8K

690.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$69.4 DZD 9,200

793.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$178 DZD 23.6K

1097.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$117 DZD 15.4K

960.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$447 DZD 59.3K

764.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$299 DZD 39.7K

678.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$368 DZD 48.7K

190.39%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Laghouat: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $126 in Laghouat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 190% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $21.00 in Laghouat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $220 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 159% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 190% 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $126 in Laghouat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,484 per month in Mexico City versus $573 in Laghouat – a 159% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Laghouat runs roughly 5% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $573 in Laghouat versus $1,484 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 159% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.