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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $666 in Settat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,026 in Settat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,386 in Settat.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 147% more expensive than in Settat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Settat is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$3.20 MAD 29.90

278.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$32.56 MAD 305

60.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$6.56 MAD 61.4

66.16%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$1.15 MAD 10.75

252.17%

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

$1.72 MX$28.99

$0.47 MAD 4.40

265.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.28

$0.38 MAD 3.52

263.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$1.27 MAD 11.88

173.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$1.65 MAD 15.44

252.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.32

$0.89 MAD 8.36

107.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$0.86 MAD 8.06

274.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.24

$1.62 MAD 15.18

29.01%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.16

$2.00 MAD 18.68

45.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$8.03 MAD 75.1

55.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$5.48 MAD 51.3

84.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$12.02 MAD 112

32.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$1.68 MAD 15.76

97.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.94

$1.49 MAD 13.92

42.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.02

$0.99 MAD 9.26

121.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.36

$0.77 MAD 7.24

218.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.99

$0.75 MAD 7.00

192.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.19

$0.81 MAD 7.53

134.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$0.26 MAD 2.44

523.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.81

$0.52 MAD 4.88

159.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$4.32 MAD 40.43

25.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$8.21 MAD 76.8

114.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.95

$2.31 MAD 21.63

-10.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$3.45 MAD 32.30

37.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$0.42 MAD 3.91

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

$10.60 MAD 99.2

103.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.48

$0.79 MAD 7.35

158.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.68 MAD 6.34

-14.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$7.37 MAD 69.0

-19.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$1.57 MAD 14.73

3.18%

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

$35.2K MAD 328.9K

-35.11%

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

$26.7K MX$450.6K

$30.5K MAD 285.4K

-12.60%

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

$65.2 MX$1,102

$21.41 MAD 200

204.72%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$5.45 MAD 51.0

448.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$37.95 MAD 355

-3.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$19.52 MAD 183

212.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$10.78 MAD 101

147.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$6.66 MAD 62.3

2.85%

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

$453 MX$7,662

$106 MAD 991

328.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$8,646 MAD 80.9K

54.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$32.76 MAD 306

128.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$934

$47.54 MAD 445

16.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$84.4 MAD 790

34.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$87.5 MAD 818

40.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$219 MAD 2,046

418.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$162 MAD 1,514

339.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$870 MAD 8,138

195.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$235 MAD 2,197

458.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$220 MAD 2,054

376.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

3.5

222.86%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Settat: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $219 in Settat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 377% 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 $33.00 in Settat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $191 per month, with Settat 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 Settat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Settat differ by about 147% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $666 including rent). Settat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 377% 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 $219 in Settat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Settat runs roughly 104% 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 $106 in Settat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $666 in Settat versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Settat but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Settat 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 Settat 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 Settat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 147% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.