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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $619 in Safi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $948 in Safi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,277 in Safi.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 135% more expensive than in Safi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Safi is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$3.95 MAD 36.93

230.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$16.24 MAD 152

230.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$4.70 MAD 43.97

105.96%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.96 MAD 18.32

90.82%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.62 MAD 5.81

161.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.32 MAD 2.97

262.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.65 MAD 15.46

95.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$1.66 MAD 15.50

185.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$0.87 MAD 8.09

89.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.50 MAD 4.72

450.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.53 MAD 14.32

22.22%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.87 MAD 17.53

33.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$7.39 MAD 69.2

38.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$6.81 MAD 63.7

21.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$9.58 MAD 89.6

23.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.27 MAD 11.90

137.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.20 MAD 11.21

50.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$0.77 MAD 7.20

159.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$0.71 MAD 6.68

181.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.67 MAD 6.30

210.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.70 MAD 6.54

224.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.42 MAD 3.93

247.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.64 MAD 5.98

68.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$4.13 MAD 38.69

5.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$7.63 MAD 71.4

122.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.98 MAD 18.56

-12.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$1.94 MAD 18.13

84.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.51 MAD 4.79

-23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$10.85 MAD 102

72.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.53 MAD 4.97

150.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.51 MAD 4.81

-45.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$6.62 MAD 62.0

-20.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.59 MAD 14.86

-15.72%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$36.8K MAD 344.3K

-47.24%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$30.0K MAD 280.4K

-20.46%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$29.16 MAD 273

39.54%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$11.26 MAD 105

138.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$40.37 MAD 378

-24.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$21.73 MAD 203

142.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$5.56 MAD 52.0

379.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$3.94 MAD 36.86

65.23%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$160 MAD 1,497

167.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$3,729 MAD 34.9K

181.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$42.18 MAD 395

35.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$36.17 MAD 338

25.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$98.5 MAD 921

5.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$38.95 MAD 364

176.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$245 MAD 2,296

308.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$141 MAD 1,317

342.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$454 MAD 4,248

364.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$240 MAD 2,247

407.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$920 MAD 8,605

322.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$561 MAD 5,250

262.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$458 MAD 4,283

126.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.81

135.76%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Safi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $245 in Safi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 127% 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 $16.00 in Safi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $174 per month, with Safi 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 Safi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Safi differ by about 135% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $619 including rent). Safi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 127% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $245 in Safi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Safi runs roughly 72% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $160 in Safi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $619 in Safi versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Safi but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Safi 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 Safi 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 Safi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.