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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $545 in M'Sila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $842 in M'Sila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,139 in M'Sila.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 166% more expensive than M'Sila, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, M'Sila is 59% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$1.95 DZD 259

565.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$19.26 DZD 2,552

173.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.87 DZD 513

143.67%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$0.41 DZD 54.1

770.73%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.52 DZD 68.4

209.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.21 DZD 27.56

447.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.91 DZD 253

64.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.32 DZD 308

109.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$0.83 DZD 110

104.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.13 DZD 17.48

1930.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.48 DZD 196

28.38%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.48 DZD 196

71.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$3.17 DZD 420

217.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.49 DZD 728

51.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$9.25 DZD 1,225

25.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.17 DZD 421

-4.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.74 DZD 364

-37.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.72 DZD 228

19.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.54 DZD 71.5

281.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.49 DZD 64.8

320.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.31 DZD 41.15

600.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.14 DZD 18.91

900.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.30 DZD 40.17

273.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.67 DZD 354

60.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$6.78 DZD 899

127.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.35 DZD 178

23.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.07 DZD 275

78.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.23 DZD 30.34

65.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$17.59 DZD 2,331

8.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.71 DZD 93.5

94.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.34 DZD 44.84

-17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$5.46 DZD 723

-0.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.36 DZD 47.18

255.56%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$36.0K DZD 4.8M

-47.20%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$33.5K DZD 4.4M

-29.99%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$23.73 DZD 3,145

72.86%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$7.84 DZD 1,039

243.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$17.96 DZD 2,381

65.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$23.01 DZD 3,049

127.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$6.07 DZD 804

1.81%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$92.8 DZD 12.3K

360.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$3,606 DZD 477.9K

196.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$36.32 DZD 4,814

56.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$45.49 DZD 6,029

-1.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$75.9 DZD 10.1K

37.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$77.9 DZD 10.3K

36.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$197 DZD 26.1K

405.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$117 DZD 15.5K

432.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$276 DZD 36.6K

670.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$181 DZD 24.0K

592.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,131 DZD 149.9K

245.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$649 DZD 86.0K

222.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$251 DZD 33.3K

341.07%

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 7, 2026

Last update for M'Sila: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $197 in M'Sila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 341% 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 $19.00 in M'Sila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $159 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 166% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 341% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $197 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 8% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $92.8 in M'Sila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $545 in M'Sila versus $1,447 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 166% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.