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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $614 in Sidi Bel Abbes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $952 in Sidi Bel Abbes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,289 in Sidi Bel Abbes.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 140% more expensive than in Sidi Bel Abbes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Sidi Bel Abbes is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$3.28 DZD 434

300.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$21.15 DZD 2,796

153.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$3.93 DZD 519

137.40%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$0.37 DZD 49.31

900.00%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.60 DZD 79.3

166.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.27 DZD 35.53

314.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.98 DZD 261

58.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.34 DZD 310

107.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.02 DZD 135

61.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.07 DZD 9.45

3771.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.57 DZD 207

21.66%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.81 DZD 239

43.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$9.12 DZD 1,205

7.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$5.18 DZD 685

62.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$16.64 DZD 2,200

-28.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.10 DZD 409

-4.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$2.87 DZD 380

-39.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.69 DZD 224

20.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.80 DZD 106

157.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.56 DZD 73.5

283.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$0.50 DZD 65.5

352.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.66 DZD 86.7

110.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.37 DZD 49.56

202.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.73 DZD 361

54.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$9.09 DZD 1,202

92.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.36 DZD 179

25.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.14 DZD 283

69.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.23 DZD 29.96

52.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$17.09 DZD 2,259

13.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.74 DZD 97.5

86.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.37 DZD 48.31

-24.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$5.35 DZD 707

-1.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.34 DZD 44.82

300.00%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$32.0K DZD 4.2M

-40.30%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$34.1K DZD 4.5M

-30.70%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$40.09 DZD 5,300

1.10%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$9.37 DZD 1,238

192.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$16.83 DZD 2,226

80.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$18.04 DZD 2,385

189.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$5.42 DZD 717

14.21%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$95.2 DZD 12.6K

346.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$3,660 DZD 483.9K

193.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$36.91 DZD 4,880

57.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$44.81 DZD 5,925

-0.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$75.8 DZD 10.0K

36.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$78.3 DZD 10.4K

38.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$194 DZD 25.7K

421.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$116 DZD 15.4K

435.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$275 DZD 36.3K

671.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$181 DZD 23.9K

577.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,192 DZD 157.6K

218.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$1,281 DZD 169.4K

64.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$350 DZD 46.2K

200.88%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Sidi Bel Abbes: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $194 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 201% 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 $21.00 in Sidi Bel Abbes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $210 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 140% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $614 including rent). Sidi Bel Abbes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 201% 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $194 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 13% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $95.2 in Sidi Bel Abbes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $614 in Sidi Bel Abbes versus $1,472 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 140% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.