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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $615 in Sidi Bel Abbes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $975 in Sidi Bel Abbes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,335 in Sidi Bel Abbes.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 135% more expensive than Sidi Bel Abbes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Sidi Bel Abbes is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.17 DZD 420

309.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$21.55 DZD 2,857

144.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.93 DZD 522

139.95%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$0.37 DZD 49.37

864.86%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.61 DZD 81.2

163.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.29 DZD 38.56

296.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.98 DZD 263

59.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.40 DZD 318

102.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.04 DZD 138

63.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.07 DZD 9.21

3671.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.56 DZD 207

21.79%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.78 DZD 236

42.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$9.05 DZD 1,199

11.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.42 DZD 719

52.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$16.29 DZD 2,159

-28.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.23 DZD 428

-6.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.97 DZD 394

-42.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.78 DZD 235

15.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.78 DZD 104

164.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.54 DZD 71.8

281.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.50 DZD 66.7

334.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.61 DZD 81.1

129.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.35 DZD 46.30

220.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.77 DZD 367

54.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$9.74 DZD 1,291

58.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.30 DZD 172

28.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.18 DZD 289

69.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.20 DZD 26.16

90.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$17.75 DZD 2,352

7.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.69 DZD 91.3

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.36 DZD 48.24

-22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$5.33 DZD 707

1.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.37 DZD 48.46

245.95%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$32.1K DZD 4.3M

-40.86%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$33.2K DZD 4.4M

-29.34%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$40.84 DZD 5,413

0.44%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$9.44 DZD 1,251

185.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$16.81 DZD 2,228

76.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$18.09 DZD 2,397

189.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$5.47 DZD 725

12.98%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$93.2 DZD 12.3K

358.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$3,527 DZD 467.4K

203.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$36.53 DZD 4,842

55.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$45.99 DZD 6,096

-2.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$75.3 DZD 9,978

38.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$76.3 DZD 10.1K

38.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$193 DZD 25.6K

415.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$116 DZD 15.4K

435.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$271 DZD 35.9K

684.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$186 DZD 24.6K

575.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,265 DZD 167.6K

208.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,137 DZD 150.7K

84.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$351 DZD 46.5K

215.72%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sidi Bel Abbes: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $193 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 216% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $22.00 in Sidi Bel Abbes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $212 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 135% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $615 including rent). Sidi Bel Abbes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 216% more on average, 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $193 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 7% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $93.2 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $615 in Sidi Bel Abbes versus $1,447 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 135% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.