Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and M'Sila Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and M'Sila

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $485 in M'Sila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $788 in M'Sila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,092 in M'Sila.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 242% more expensive than in M'Sila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, M'Sila is 65% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$1.93 DZD 256

517.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$19.14 DZD 2,548

169.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$3.94 DZD 525

189.59%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$0.40 DZD 53.7

897.50%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$0.56 DZD 74.5

196.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.18 DZD 24.04

638.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$2.29 DZD 304

51.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.27 DZD 303

159.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$0.87 DZD 115

116.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$0.12 DZD 15.86

2608.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$1.14 DZD 152

89.47%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$1.38 DZD 184

110.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$3.07 DZD 408

318.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.18 DZD 556

140.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$9.31 DZD 1,240

70.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$2.19 DZD 291

50.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$2.84 DZD 377

-29.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.12 DZD 149

96.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$0.58 DZD 77.0

306.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$0.53 DZD 70.4

286.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$0.29 DZD 38.03

555.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$0.12 DZD 15.76

1241.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.28 DZD 37.47

400.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$2.78 DZD 370

96.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$6.76 DZD 900

161.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$1.30 DZD 173

58.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$1.97 DZD 262

137.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.15 DZD 19.93

126.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

$5.64 DZD 750

268.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.61 DZD 80.9

244.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.45 DZD 59.5

24.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$5.89 DZD 784

-1.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.35 DZD 46.66

360.00%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$36.4K DZD 4.8M

-37.20%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$35.3K DZD 4.7M

-24.13%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$24.04 DZD 3,199

171.13%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$7.95 DZD 1,059

278.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$12.51 DZD 1,665

197.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$20.85 DZD 2,775

186.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.73 DZD 630

48.84%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$118 DZD 15.7K

292.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$6,496 DZD 864.6K

104.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$32.67 DZD 4,349

132.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$35.44 DZD 4,718

57.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$71.2 DZD 9,478

57.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$83.8 DZD 11.1K

43.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$156 DZD 20.8K

604.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$112 DZD 14.9K

544.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$277 DZD 36.8K

814.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$212 DZD 28.2K

510.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

$1,288 DZD 171.5K

209.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$639 DZD 85.1K

226.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$253 DZD 33.6K

310.68%

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 M'Sila: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $156 in M'Sila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 311% 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 $19.00 in M'Sila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $143 per month, with M'Sila 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 M'Sila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

M'Sila is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 242% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 311% 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 $156 in M'Sila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in M'Sila runs roughly 269% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $118 in M'Sila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $485 in M'Sila versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in M'Sila but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes M'Sila the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, M'Sila 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 M'Sila 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 M'Sila gentler on the wallet – expenses run 242% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.