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: $1,448 in Mexico City versus $574 in Ouarzazate.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,354 in Mexico City versus $904 in Ouarzazate.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Mexico City versus $1,234 in Ouarzazate.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 152% more expensive than Ouarzazate, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Ouarzazate is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$4.75 MAD 43.84

172.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$10.99 MAD 102

376.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$4.35 MAD 40.22

122.76%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$1.08 MAD 9.95

247.22%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$0.42 MAD 3.90

271.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$0.32 MAD 2.99

262.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$2.71 MAD 25.05

19.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$2.67 MAD 24.65

83.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$0.77 MAD 7.10

120.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$0.56 MAD 5.18

376.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$1.45 MAD 13.43

30.34%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$1.63 MAD 15.07

54.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$7.64 MAD 70.6

31.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$4.18 MAD 38.66

104.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$6.68 MAD 61.8

78.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$0.95 MAD 8.76

212.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$1.38 MAD 12.76

29.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$0.67 MAD 6.20

198.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$0.73 MAD 6.72

168.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$0.67 MAD 6.23

222.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$0.46 MAD 4.22

393.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$0.21 MAD 1.93

566.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$0.63 MAD 5.81

76.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$4.51 MAD 41.71

-6.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$7.98 MAD 73.7

107.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$2.64 MAD 24.35

-36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$2.95 MAD 27.25

21.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$0.51 MAD 4.72

-23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

$16.52 MAD 153

16.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$0.53 MAD 4.86

160.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$0.48 MAD 4.45

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$2.69 MAD 24.83

100.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$1.55 MAD 14.34

-16.77%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$36.9K MAD 340.6K

-48.75%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$29.3K MAD 270.5K

-18.71%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$32.28 MAD 298

23.48%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$5.41 MAD 49.94

414.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$24.59 MAD 227

21.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$15.43 MAD 143

236.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

$23.49 MAD 217

11.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$3.90 MAD 36.06

60.77%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$78.2 MAD 722

453.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$6,406 MAD 59.2K

64.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$38.65 MAD 357

47.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$49.64 MAD 459

-8.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$49.53 MAD 458

105.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$66.8 MAD 617

62.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$246 MAD 2,269

304.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$133 MAD 1,231

363.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$510 MAD 4,714

308.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$304 MAD 2,813

312.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

$1,547 MAD 14.3K

154.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

$934 MAD 8,628

123.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.75

138.74%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Ouarzazate: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $994 in Mexico City and $246 in Ouarzazate. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $11.00 in Ouarzazate for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $155 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 152% in total monthly costs ($1,448 vs $574 including rent). Ouarzazate is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,173 in Mexico City and $861 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: $994 in Mexico City versus $246 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 16% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $433 in Mexico City versus $78.2 in Ouarzazate. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $574 in Ouarzazate versus $1,448 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 152% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.