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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $735 in Monastir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,178 in Monastir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,621 in Monastir.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 126% more expensive than in Monastir, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Monastir is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$4.70 TND 13.66

153.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$22.48 TND 65.4

129.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$6.09 TND 17.73

87.36%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$1.15 TND 3.35

246.96%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.81 TND 2.36

104.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.39 TND 1.13

241.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$1.75 TND 5.09

98.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$1.76 TND 5.11

235.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$0.52 TND 1.50

261.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$0.17 TND 0.49

1811.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$1.75 TND 5.08

23.43%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$1.72 TND 5.00

68.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$13.75 TND 40.00

-6.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$6.20 TND 18.04

62.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$14.88 TND 43.28

6.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$1.92 TND 5.58

71.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$4.69 TND 13.64

-57.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$1.15 TND 3.35

91.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$0.82 TND 2.40

187.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$0.90 TND 2.63

127.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$0.77 TND 2.23

146.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.47 TND 1.36

242.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.34 TND 0.98

311.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$3.67 TND 10.69

48.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$5.04 TND 14.65

250.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$1.20 TND 3.49

71.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$1.35 TND 3.93

246.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.35 TND 1.02

-2.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$11.66 TND 33.93

78.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$0.32 TND 0.94

556.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$0.33 TND 0.97

69.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$1.81 TND 5.27

220.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$0.84 TND 2.44

91.67%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$39.7K TND 115.6K

-42.50%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$37.1K TND 108.0K

-27.91%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$69.0 TND 201

-5.48%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$10.87 TND 31.61

176.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$20.23 TND 58.8

83.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$24.20 TND 70.4

146.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$6.74 TND 19.60

293.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$6.19 TND 18.02

13.73%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$99.0 TND 288

369.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$3,058 TND 8,897

334.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$49.46 TND 144

53.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$66.1 TND 192

-15.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$114 TND 331

-1.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$110 TND 321

9.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$205 TND 597

437.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$122 TND 355

490.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$374 TND 1,087

577.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$240 TND 699

438.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$1,237 TND 3,600

222.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$623 TND 1,812

235.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$356 TND 1,037

191.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

2.73%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Monastir: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $205 in Monastir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 191% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $22.00 in Monastir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $213 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 126% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $735 including rent). Monastir is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 191% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $205 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 78% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $99.0 in Monastir. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $735 in Monastir versus $1,660 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 126% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.