Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Misrata Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Misrata

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $421 in Misrata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $683 in Misrata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $946 in Misrata.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 249% more expensive than in Misrata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Misrata is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$2.67 LYD 17.04

392.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$11.10 LYD 70.8

382.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$3.61 LYD 23.04

158.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 LYD 3.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 LYD 2.87

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$0.48 LYD 3.05

670.83%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.49 LYD 3.12

226.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.11 LYD 0.71

918.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$0.89 LYD 5.67

85.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.21 LYD 1.34

1190.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$0.96 LYD 6.15

98.96%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.08 LYD 6.91

139.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$4.59 LYD 29.27

113.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$2.16 LYD 13.76

290.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$9.25 LYD 59.0

28.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.57 LYD 10.02

87.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.25 LYD 8.00

39.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$0.76 LYD 4.87

168.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.53 LYD 3.36

288.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.70 LYD 4.43

207.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$0.57 LYD 3.61

296.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.41 LYD 2.63

239.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.22 LYD 1.40

409.09%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.26 LYD 8.06

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 LYD 4.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 LYD 4.08

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$1.87 LYD 11.89

125.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.54 LYD 3.42

-35.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$63.6 LYD 406

-69.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.96 LYD 6.14

43.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.58 LYD 3.69

-51.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$4.46 LYD 28.44

18.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.03 LYD 0.22

4433.33%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$13.9K LYD 88.4K

37.68%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$16.1K LYD 102.8K

46.32%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$32.32 LYD 206

25.40%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$4.16 LYD 26.49

558.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$13.48 LYD 86.0

125.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$18.92 LYD 121

176.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$9.02 LYD 57.5

193.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$2.76 LYD 17.59

124.28%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$52.4 LYD 334

711.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$832 LYD 5,303

1190.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$21.63 LYD 138

169.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$10.54 LYD 67.2

322.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$34.17 LYD 218

202.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$41.57 LYD 265

161.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$201 LYD 1,282

404.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$91.2 LYD 581

582.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$372 LYD 2,374

469.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$183 LYD 1,169

566.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$498 LYD 3,174

661.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$103 LYD 658

1943.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$396 LYD 2,525

165.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

13.6

-16.62%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Misrata: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $201 in Misrata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 166% 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 $11.00 in Misrata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $100 per month, with Misrata 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 Misrata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Misrata differ by about 249% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $421 including rent). Misrata is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 166% 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 $201 in Misrata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Misrata runs roughly 229% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $52.4 in Misrata. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $421 in Misrata versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Misrata but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Misrata the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Misrata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 249% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.