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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $435 in Setif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $705 in Setif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $974 in Setif.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 279% more expensive than in Setif, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Setif is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$3.21 DZD 425

277.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$16.36 DZD 2,168

219.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$3.76 DZD 498

189.89%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$0.60 DZD 79.8

575.00%

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

$1.72 MX$28.99

$0.67 DZD 88.5

156.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.28

$0.20 DZD 26.51

590.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$1.49 DZD 198

132.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$2.18 DZD 289

166.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.32

$0.74 DZD 97.8

150.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$0.13 DZD 17.00

2376.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.24

$1.05 DZD 139

99.05%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.16

$0.87 DZD 116

234.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$6.53 DZD 866

91.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$4.20 DZD 557

140.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$15.01 DZD 1,990

5.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$2.15 DZD 285

53.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.94

$2.79 DZD 370

-23.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.02

$1.16 DZD 154

88.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.36

$0.86 DZD 114

184.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.99

$0.55 DZD 72.3

298.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.19

$0.48 DZD 63.1

295.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$0.42 DZD 56.3

285.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.81

$0.21 DZD 28.33

542.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$2.72 DZD 361

99.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$5.71 DZD 756

208.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.95

$1.26 DZD 167

64.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$2.03 DZD 270

133.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$0.13 DZD 17.13

161.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

$5.77 DZD 764

274.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.48

$0.57 DZD 75.4

257.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.41 DZD 54.6

41.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$5.13 DZD 680

16.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$0.36 DZD 48.21

350.00%

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

$29.3K DZD 3.9M

-22.13%

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

$26.7K MX$450.6K

$21.0K DZD 2.8M

26.93%

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

$65.2 MX$1,102

$36.86 DZD 4,886

76.99%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$10.76 DZD 1,427

177.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$12.97 DZD 1,720

181.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$18.14 DZD 2,405

236.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$5.84 DZD 774

357.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$4.51 DZD 598

51.88%

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

$453 MX$7,662

$574 DZD 76.1K

-21.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$6,503 DZD 862.0K

105.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$17.19 DZD 2,279

336.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$934

$15.44 DZD 2,047

258.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$35.47 DZD 4,702

220.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$57.5 DZD 7,616

113.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$69.4 DZD 9,196

1533.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$49.21 DZD 6,524

1347.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$138 DZD 18.3K

1762.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$117 DZD 15.5K

1022.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$343 DZD 45.5K

1063.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$310 DZD 41.1K

237.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.3

113.21%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Setif: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $69.4 in Setif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 238% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $16.00 in Setif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $167 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 279% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $435 including rent). Setif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 238% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $69.4 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 274% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $574 in Setif. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $435 in Setif versus $1,646 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 279% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.