Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sidi Bel Abbes Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sidi Bel Abbes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $541 in Sidi Bel Abbes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $889 in Sidi Bel Abbes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,236 in Sidi Bel Abbes.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 206% more expensive than in Sidi Bel Abbes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Sidi Bel Abbes is 60% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$2.38 DZD 318

400.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$21.59 DZD 2,883

139.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$4.00 DZD 535

185.25%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$0.37 DZD 49.78

978.38%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.64 DZD 86.0

159.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.26 DZD 34.33

411.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.76 DZD 235

97.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.04 DZD 406

94.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.01 DZD 135

86.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.09 DZD 12.16

3511.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.06 DZD 141

103.77%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.60 DZD 214

81.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$9.99 DZD 1,334

28.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.31 DZD 576

133.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$13.82 DZD 1,847

14.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.71 DZD 363

21.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$2.41 DZD 322

-16.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.46 DZD 195

50.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$0.45 DZD 60.1

424.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$0.34 DZD 45.92

502.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$0.64 DZD 85.8

196.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.66 DZD 88.7

143.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.37 DZD 48.88

278.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$1.91 DZD 255

185.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$10.22 DZD 1,365

72.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$2.26 DZD 302

-8.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$0.95 DZD 127

392.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.20 DZD 26.98

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$6.73 DZD 899

209.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.74 DZD 99.1

183.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.32 DZD 42.44

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$2.35 DZD 314

147.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.33 DZD 44.13

387.88%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$16.5K DZD 2.2M

38.42%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$30.7K DZD 4.1M

-12.80%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$20.35 DZD 2,719

220.29%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$8.95 DZD 1,195

236.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$17.44 DZD 2,330

113.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$17.54 DZD 2,343

240.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$1.55 DZD 208

354.19%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$57.6 DZD 7,697

706.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$3,357 DZD 448.5K

295.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$34.75 DZD 4,642

118.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$56.7 DZD 7,575

-1.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$83.2 DZD 11.1K

34.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$85.2 DZD 11.4K

41.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$157 DZD 21.0K

600.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$106 DZD 14.1K

582.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$295 DZD 39.4K

757.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$217 DZD 29.0K

495.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,103 DZD 147.4K

261.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$357 DZD 47.7K

190.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.5

73.85%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sidi Bel Abbes: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $157 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 191% 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 $22.00 in Sidi Bel Abbes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $194 per month, with Sidi Bel Abbes 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 Sidi Bel Abbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Sidi Bel Abbes differ by about 206% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $541 including rent). Sidi Bel Abbes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 191% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $157 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sidi Bel Abbes runs roughly 209% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $57.6 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $541 in Sidi Bel Abbes versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sidi Bel Abbes but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sidi Bel Abbes 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 Sidi Bel Abbes 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 Sidi Bel Abbes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 206% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.