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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $659 in Monastir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,083 in Monastir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,507 in Monastir.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 125% more expensive than Monastir, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Monastir is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$3.99 TND 11.52

225.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$23.53 TND 68.0

125.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$4.98 TND 14.38

95.18%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$0.91 TND 2.63

312.09%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.73 TND 2.11

115.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.29 TND 0.83

289.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.72 TND 4.99

84.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$1.84 TND 5.33

153.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$0.46 TND 1.33

252.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.15 TND 0.45

1706.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.81 TND 5.24

3.87%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.49 TND 4.30

68.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$12.16 TND 35.14

-17.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.75 TND 16.62

44.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$13.69 TND 39.58

-12.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$1.58 TND 4.57

81.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$3.15 TND 9.11

-44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$0.96 TND 2.78

116.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.76 TND 2.21

159.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.70 TND 2.03

208.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.58 TND 1.68

275.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.46 TND 1.33

202.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.29 TND 0.83

286.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$3.46 TND 9.99

21.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$5.10 TND 14.74

179.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.19 TND 3.45

47.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.36 TND 3.92

170.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.38 TND 1.10

2.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$11.17 TND 32.29

67.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.32 TND 0.93

334.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.31 TND 0.89

-3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$3.31 TND 9.55

63.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.84 TND 2.42

60.71%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$40.0K TND 115.6K

-52.81%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$36.1K TND 104.2K

-35.79%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$57.5 TND 166

-29.03%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$10.25 TND 29.62

168.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$18.66 TND 53.9

62.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$20.43 TND 59.0

161.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$6.81 TND 19.70

286.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$5.55 TND 16.03

12.97%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$105 TND 305

313.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$3,182 TND 9,197

228.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$46.15 TND 133

22.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$60.1 TND 174

-25.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$114 TND 329

-9.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$83.4 TND 241

29.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$207 TND 597

384.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$133 TND 384

366.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$476 TND 1,376

348.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$276 TND 797

347.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$1,273 TND 3,680

203.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$633 TND 1,828

268.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$357 TND 1,032

198.95%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Monastir: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $207 in Monastir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 199% 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 $286 vs $188 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 125% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $659 including rent). Monastir is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 199% 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 $207 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 67% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $105 in Monastir. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $659 in Monastir versus $1,484 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 125% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.