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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $329 in Sabratha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $545 in Sabratha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $761 in Sabratha.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 343% more expensive than in Sabratha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Sabratha is 75% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$4.72 LYD 30.09

176.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$18.23 LYD 116

194.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$3.62 LYD 23.09

167.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 LYD 3.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.23

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$0.52 LYD 3.30

619.23%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.49 LYD 3.13

230.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.10 LYD 0.62

1060.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.03 LYD 6.57

60.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.23 LYD 1.47

1095.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.19 LYD 7.60

57.14%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.44 LYD 9.19

73.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$4.97 LYD 31.66

105.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$3.28 LYD 20.90

151.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$10.12 LYD 64.5

16.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.21 LYD 14.05

36.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.34 LYD 8.55

35.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$0.75 LYD 4.79

166.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$0.52 LYD 3.32

284.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.68 LYD 4.35

205.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.53 LYD 3.37

328.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.39 LYD 2.48

274.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.22 LYD 1.40

390.91%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.23 LYD 7.86

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 LYD 4.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.20

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$1.88 LYD 11.97

131.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.94 LYD 6.01

41.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.89 LYD 5.66

-68.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$4.48 LYD 28.53

17.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.03 LYD 0.17

4366.67%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$14.0K LYD 89.2K

38.67%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$16.2K LYD 103.3K

46.95%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$31.71 LYD 202

28.32%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$7.99 LYD 50.9

236.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$23.19 LYD 148

31.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$4.50 LYD 28.67

44.67%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$53.2 LYD 339

704.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$913 LYD 5,813

1050.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$21.31 LYD 136

168.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$35.64 LYD 227

27.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$50.9 LYD 324

104.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$56.8 LYD 362

89.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$282 LYD 1,794

1279.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$190 LYD 1,210

969.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$189 LYD 1,202

449.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

17.5

-35.20%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sabratha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 450% 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 $18.00 in Sabratha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $117 per month, with Sabratha 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 Sabratha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Sabratha differ by about 343% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $329 including rent). Sabratha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 450% 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.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $53.2 in Sabratha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sabratha – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $329 in Sabratha versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sabratha but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sabratha 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.

Expats usually find Sabratha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 343% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.