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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $680 in Monastir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,073 in Monastir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,467 in Monastir.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 116% more expensive than in Monastir, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Monastir is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$228

$3.81 TND 11.19

244.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$928

$23.83 TND 69.9

124.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$162

$5.12 TND 15.02

82.23%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.1

$0.88 TND 2.58

320.45%

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

$1.60 MX$27.80

$0.71 TND 2.08

125.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.37

$0.31 TND 0.91

261.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.4

$1.71 TND 5.02

83.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.0

$1.88 TND 5.51

157.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.65

$0.49 TND 1.44

236.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.03

$0.15 TND 0.44

1706.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.08

$1.74 TND 5.12

9.77%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.88

$1.50 TND 4.40

72.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$12.29 TND 36.07

-20.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$5.88 TND 17.26

43.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$207

$13.77 TND 40.40

-13.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.2

$1.53 TND 4.49

92.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.15

$3.16 TND 9.28

-44.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.43

$0.98 TND 2.88

108.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.70

$0.75 TND 2.21

174.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.25

$0.75 TND 2.19

186.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.08

$0.59 TND 1.75

283.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.01

$0.43 TND 1.27

223.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.31 TND 0.91

261.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.1

$3.45 TND 10.12

22.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$5.22 TND 15.31

235.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.62

$1.19 TND 3.49

43.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.9

$1.39 TND 4.07

161.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.11

$0.38 TND 1.13

-7.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$335

$11.56 TND 33.93

67.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$0.32 TND 0.94

331.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.33 TND 0.98

-15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.4

$3.47 TND 10.19

52.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.53

$0.81 TND 2.37

67.90%

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

$19.1K MX$331.0K

$40.8K TND 119.8K

-53.23%

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

$23.6K MX$409.1K

$35.7K TND 104.7K

-33.85%

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

$40.53 MX$702

$58.4 TND 171

-30.60%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$10.12 TND 29.71

170.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$527

$18.20 TND 53.4

66.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$905

$20.70 TND 60.8

152.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$459

$6.97 TND 20.44

279.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$5.41 TND 15.87

14.42%

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

$425 MX$7,366

$106 TND 310

302.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$186.0K

$3,221 TND 9,451

233.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,010

$44.84 TND 132

30.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$772

$62.1 TND 182

-28.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,793

$113 TND 332

-8.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,884

$82.1 TND 241

32.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.6K

$208 TND 611

386.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$133 TND 391

367.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$463 TND 1,359

357.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$276 TND 811

342.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.7K

$1,249 TND 3,664

203.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.6K

$627 TND 1,839

236.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$348 TND 1,021

202.50%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Monastir: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $208 in Monastir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 203% 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 $24.00 in Monastir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $189 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 116% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $680 including rent). Monastir is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 203% 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 $208 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 $425 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 $680 in Monastir versus $1,472 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 116% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.