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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $664 in Monastir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,065 in Monastir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,466 in Monastir.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 118% more expensive than Monastir, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Monastir is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.80 TND 11.10

241.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$23.76 TND 69.3

121.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$5.16 TND 15.05

82.75%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$0.90 TND 2.61

296.67%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.75 TND 2.20

114.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.31 TND 0.91

270.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.71 TND 4.98

84.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$1.81 TND 5.27

168.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$0.46 TND 1.34

269.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.16 TND 0.48

1550.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.80 TND 5.27

5.56%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.50 TND 4.36

69.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$11.99 TND 34.99

-15.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.87 TND 17.14

41.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$13.54 TND 39.49

-14.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.59 TND 4.65

90.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$3.16 TND 9.23

-45.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$0.93 TND 2.71

120.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.75 TND 2.18

174.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.75 TND 2.19

174.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.59 TND 1.72

267.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.43 TND 1.27

225.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.29 TND 0.84

286.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$3.42 TND 9.99

25.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$5.01 TND 14.61

207.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.20 TND 3.50

39.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.40 TND 4.09

163.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.39 TND 1.13

-2.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$11.34 TND 33.09

68.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.32 TND 0.94

331.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.30 TND 0.89

-6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$3.47 TND 10.13

56.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.84 TND 2.44

52.38%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$40.6K TND 118.4K

-53.23%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$36.4K TND 106.2K

-35.53%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$59.2 TND 173

-30.66%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$10.08 TND 29.41

167.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$18.18 TND 53.0

63.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$21.16 TND 61.7

147.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$6.93 TND 20.22

278.50%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$5.29 TND 15.42

16.82%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$106 TND 309

303.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$3,177 TND 9,269

236.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$44.72 TND 130

27.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$61.8 TND 180

-27.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$111 TND 323

-5.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$83.9 TND 245

26.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$204 TND 596

386.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$134 TND 391

363.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$465 TND 1,356

357.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$283 TND 825

343.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,259 TND 3,672

210.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$632 TND 1,843

231.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$361 TND 1,052

206.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.09%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Monastir: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $204 in Monastir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 207% 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 $24.00 in Monastir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $187 per month, with Monastir 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 Monastir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Monastir differ by about 118% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $664 including rent). Monastir is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 207% 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 $204 in Monastir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Monastir runs roughly 68% 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 $106 in Monastir. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $664 in Monastir versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Monastir but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Monastir 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Monastir 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 Monastir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.