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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $724 in Ouarzazate.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,136 in Ouarzazate.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,548 in Ouarzazate.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 129% more expensive than in Ouarzazate, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Ouarzazate is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$3.60 MAD 34.12

231.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$31.85 MAD 302

62.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$6.25 MAD 59.3

82.56%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.23 MAD 21.19

78.92%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.65 MAD 6.21

155.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.38 MAD 3.56

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$7.00 MAD 66.4

-50.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$5.57 MAD 52.8

5.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$0.83 MAD 7.89

126.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.82 MAD 7.76

296.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.60 MAD 15.21

35.00%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.53 MAD 14.49

89.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$7.82 MAD 74.1

64.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.68 MAD 44.37

114.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$11.86 MAD 113

33.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$0.76 MAD 7.25

332.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.23 MAD 11.70

63.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$0.65 MAD 6.19

238.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$0.81 MAD 7.72

191.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$0.69 MAD 6.59

197.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$0.84 MAD 7.93

126.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.23 MAD 2.17

600.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.58 MAD 5.46

141.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$4.18 MAD 39.60

30.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$7.82 MAD 74.2

125.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$2.40 MAD 22.74

-14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$3.40 MAD 32.21

37.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.50 MAD 4.71

-32.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$16.70 MAD 158

24.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.52 MAD 4.92

303.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.64 MAD 6.10

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$7.36 MAD 69.8

-21.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.52 MAD 14.42

5.92%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$35.4K MAD 335.8K

-35.49%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$30.4K MAD 288.4K

-12.02%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$36.93 MAD 350

76.50%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$5.12 MAD 48.55

487.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$26.66 MAD 253

39.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$26.09 MAD 247

129.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$20.47 MAD 194

29.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$6.47 MAD 61.4

8.81%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$100 MAD 953

362.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$8,459 MAD 80.2K

56.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$32.84 MAD 311

131.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$45.96 MAD 436

21.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$84.7 MAD 803

32.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$85.5 MAD 811

40.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$271 MAD 2,569

307.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$171 MAD 1,623

321.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$545 MAD 5,166

364.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$311 MAD 2,952

315.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,222 MAD 11.6K

226.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$847 MAD 8,035

146.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

3.5

222.86%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ouarzazate: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $271 in Ouarzazate. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $32.00 in Ouarzazate for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $175 per month, with Ouarzazate 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 Ouarzazate: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Ouarzazate differ by about 129% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $724 including rent). Ouarzazate is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $1,085 in Ouarzazate to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $271 in Ouarzazate. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ouarzazate runs roughly 25% 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 $100 in Ouarzazate. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $724 in Ouarzazate versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ouarzazate but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ouarzazate 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 Ouarzazate 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 Ouarzazate gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.