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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $571 in Ouarzazate.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $922 in Ouarzazate.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,273 in Ouarzazate.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 160% more expensive than Ouarzazate, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Ouarzazate is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$4.75 MAD 43.92

173.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$11.07 MAD 102

379.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$4.45 MAD 41.20

118.43%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.07 MAD 9.89

250.47%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.46 MAD 4.27

241.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.33 MAD 3.01

242.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$2.67 MAD 24.72

19.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.67 MAD 24.73

74.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$0.81 MAD 7.47

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.53 MAD 4.92

411.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.52 MAD 14.10

23.68%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.63 MAD 15.11

53.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$7.81 MAD 72.3

29.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.00 MAD 37.00

107.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$6.68 MAD 61.8

78.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$0.92 MAD 8.49

210.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.38 MAD 12.76

26.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$0.64 MAD 5.94

225.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.69 MAD 6.35

185.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.64 MAD 5.91

237.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.46 MAD 4.27

373.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.21 MAD 1.94

561.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.62 MAD 5.76

80.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$4.30 MAD 39.75

-2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$7.98 MAD 73.8

78.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$2.70 MAD 24.99

-34.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.93 MAD 27.10

25.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.51 MAD 4.68

-23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$16.15 MAD 149

15.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.57 MAD 5.27

143.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.48 MAD 4.41

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$2.70 MAD 25.02

100.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.57 MAD 14.48

-14.01%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$37.2K MAD 344.3K

-49.27%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$30.3K MAD 280.3K

-23.59%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$32.25 MAD 298

26.57%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$5.32 MAD 49.17

416.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$24.24 MAD 224

25.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$15.54 MAD 144

243.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$23.07 MAD 213

14.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$3.92 MAD 36.23

59.95%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$76.2 MAD 705

472.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$6,286 MAD 58.1K

66.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$39.02 MAD 361

45.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$49.86 MAD 461

-10.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$48.44 MAD 448

112.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$65.1 MAD 602

65.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$243 MAD 2,249

311.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$133 MAD 1,232

365.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$509 MAD 4,706

320.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$308 MAD 2,849

300.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$1,599 MAD 14.8K

141.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$941 MAD 8,703

147.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ouarzazate: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $243 in Ouarzazate. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $11.00 in Ouarzazate for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 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 160% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $571 including rent). Ouarzazate is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,225 in Mexico City and $856 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $243 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 $436 in Mexico City versus $76.2 in Ouarzazate. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $571 in Ouarzazate versus $1,484 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 160% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.