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: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $600 in Safi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $938 in Safi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,276 in Safi.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 179% more expensive than in Safi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Safi is 56% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$3.25 MAD 30.57

273.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$21.39 MAD 201

151.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$4.89 MAD 45.92

126.79%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$1.63 MAD 15.35

151.53%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.61 MAD 5.78

175.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.34 MAD 3.23

308.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$1.56 MAD 14.62

113.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$1.58 MAD 14.88

272.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$0.85 MAD 7.96

117.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.51 MAD 4.82

521.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.65 MAD 15.55

25.45%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$1.77 MAD 16.66

65.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$7.09 MAD 66.6

77.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$6.96 MAD 65.4

45.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$9.11 MAD 85.6

76.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$1.24 MAD 11.68

173.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.18 MAD 11.11

76.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$0.86 MAD 8.05

146.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$0.74 MAD 6.96

225.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.66 MAD 6.24

222.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.80 MAD 7.55

151.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.39 MAD 3.66

297.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.57 MAD 5.37

138.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$3.92 MAD 36.84

47.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$7.81 MAD 73.4

127.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$2.00 MAD 18.76

3.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$1.90 MAD 17.83

142.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.46 MAD 4.31

-19.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$10.72 MAD 101

97.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$0.74 MAD 6.97

177.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.54 MAD 5.09

7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$6.43 MAD 60.5

-5.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.51 MAD 14.16

2.65%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$34.9K MAD 327.8K

-34.41%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$31.8K MAD 299.0K

-14.42%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$35.29 MAD 332

91.02%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$10.51 MAD 98.8

191.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$33.68 MAD 316

10.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$19.91 MAD 187

208.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$5.21 MAD 48.99

420.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$3.65 MAD 34.28

94.79%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$101 MAD 950

351.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$3,743 MAD 35.2K

265.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$40.96 MAD 385

81.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$35.11 MAD 330

62.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$91.8 MAD 862

25.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$37.95 MAD 357

220.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$293 MAD 2,751

292.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$140 MAD 1,314

407.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$473 MAD 4,449

444.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$246 MAD 2,315

425.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$929 MAD 8,728

331.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$574 MAD 5,396

270.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$462 MAD 4,344

134.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.52

150.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Safi: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $293 in Safi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 134% 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 $21.00 in Safi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $173 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 179% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $600 including rent). Safi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 134% 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $293 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 98% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $101 in Safi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $600 in Safi versus $1,677 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 179% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.