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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $452 in Setif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $762 in Setif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,071 in Setif.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 222% more expensive than in Setif, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Setif is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$2.28 DZD 303

473.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$16.12 DZD 2,136

233.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$3.91 DZD 519

147.57%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$0.67 DZD 89.2

458.21%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.60 DZD 79.9

170.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.21 DZD 27.74

452.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.48 DZD 196

118.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$2.12 DZD 281

123.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$0.70 DZD 93.3

135.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.14 DZD 18.16

1864.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.07 DZD 142

74.77%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.85 DZD 246

35.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$6.69 DZD 887

52.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$5.09 DZD 674

62.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$14.07 DZD 1,864

-15.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.82 DZD 374

6.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$2.97 DZD 393

-39.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.50 DZD 198

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$0.76 DZD 101

163.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.52 DZD 69.0

300.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.50 DZD 66.5

354.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.45 DZD 59.9

224.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.28 DZD 36.66

285.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$2.81 DZD 373

54.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$5.33 DZD 707

218.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.34 DZD 178

29.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.11 DZD 280

69.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.16 DZD 20.85

143.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$5.89 DZD 781

217.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.71 DZD 93.8

87.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.34 DZD 44.94

-17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$5.11 DZD 677

2.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.37 DZD 48.47

262.16%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$29.0K DZD 3.8M

-33.09%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$20.9K DZD 2.8M

14.17%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$38.53 DZD 5,106

5.61%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$9.25 DZD 1,226

190.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$13.15 DZD 1,743

132.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$18.16 DZD 2,406

190.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$5.69 DZD 754

368.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$5.59 DZD 741

16.46%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$93.8 DZD 12.4K

356.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$3,669 DZD 486.2K

186.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$24.41 DZD 3,235

134.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$26.82 DZD 3,554

69.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$44.78 DZD 5,935

132.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$56.4 DZD 7,473

91.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$74.8 DZD 9,911

1241.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$54.9 DZD 7,281

1033.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$182 DZD 24.1K

1058.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$153 DZD 20.2K

698.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$922 DZD 122.2K

321.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$386 DZD 51.2K

425.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$299 DZD 39.7K

246.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.42

109.23%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Setif: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $74.8 in Setif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 247% 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 Setif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $179 per month, with Setif 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 Setif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Setif differ by about 222% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $452 including rent). Setif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 247% 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 $74.8 in Setif. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Setif runs roughly 217% 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 $93.8 in Setif. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $452 in Setif versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Setif but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Setif 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 Setif 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 Setif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 222% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.