😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,023 in Sidon.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,745 in Sidon.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $2,468 in Sidon.
😐Living in Mexico City is roughly 43% more expensive than Sidon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Sidon is 24% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Sidon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.18MX$228
$10.96LBP 980.9K
20.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.9MX$932
$60.6LBP 5.4M
-11.06%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42MX$163
$8.09LBP 723.9K
16.44%
Cappuccino
$3.55MX$61.4
$3.28LBP 293.3K
8.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$27.98
$1.66LBP 148.2K
-2.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11MX$19.27
$0.94LBP 84.5K
18.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.12MX$54.0
$3.57LBP 319.5K
-12.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.63MX$80.1
$5.13LBP 459.0K
-9.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Sidon
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.70MX$29.43
$1.79LBP 160.0K
-5.03%
White Bread(500g)
$2.72MX$47.02
$0.81LBP 72.1K
235.80%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.91MX$33.07
$1.84LBP 164.5K
3.80%
Eggs
$2.54MX$43.86
$3.19LBP 285.9K
-20.38%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.03MX$174
$11.11LBP 994.0K
-9.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.09MX$140
$9.57LBP 856.3K
-15.46%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.62MX$201
$11.28LBP 1.0M
3.01%
Apples(1kg)
$2.97MX$51.3
$1.74LBP 155.9K
70.69%
Banana(1kg)
$1.81MX$31.24
$1.53LBP 136.8K
18.30%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.01MX$34.82
$1.14LBP 101.7K
76.32%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03MX$35.20
$1.06LBP 94.5K
91.51%
Potato(1kg)
$2.12MX$36.75
$1.01LBP 90.6K
109.90%
Onion(1kg)
$2.27MX$39.25
$0.99LBP 88.9K
129.29%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.40MX$24.22
$0.89LBP 79.4K
57.30%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.13MX$19.55
$0.57LBP 50.7K
98.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27MX$73.9
$2.46LBP 220.0K
73.58%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.56MX$269
$9.97LBP 892.2K
56.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76MX$30.39
$1.23LBP 110.5K
43.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.60MX$62.2
$2.20LBP 196.8K
63.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Sidon
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.38MX$6.62
$2.02LBP 180.9K
-81.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.18MX$332
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.38MX$23.79
$5.05LBP 451.6K
-72.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.28MX$4.78
$1.24LBP 110.7K
-77.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.45MX$94.2
$20.16LBP 1.8M
-72.97%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30MX$22.55
$0.96LBP 86.1K
35.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.7KMX$323.2K
$34.6KLBP 3.1B
-46.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1KMX$400.1K
$27.8KLBP 2.5B
-16.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Sidon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.86MX$707
$215LBP 19.2M
-80.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.81MX$464
$37.11LBP 3.3M
-27.76%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.96MX$518
$37.07LBP 3.3M
-19.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Sidon
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.0MX$900
$32.44LBP 2.9M
60.36%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.84MX$464
$9.81LBP 878.0K
173.60%
Cinema Ticket
$6.30MX$109
$6.13LBP 548.9K
2.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Sidon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$436MX$7,544
$300LBP 26.9M
45.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.4KMX$180.2K
$4,393LBP 393.2M
137.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Sidon
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.7MX$980
$71.7LBP 6.4M
-21.01%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.38MX$768
$44.31LBP 4.0M
0.16%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103MX$1,780
$122LBP 10.9M
-15.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106MX$1,825
$94.5LBP 8.5M
11.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Sidon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,022MX$17.7K
$246LBP 22.0M
315.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$631MX$10.9K
$98.1LBP 8.8M
543.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,136MX$36.9K
$598LBP 53.6M
256.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,243MX$21.5K
$397LBP 35.5M
213.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,903MX$67.5K
$1,019LBP 91.2M
282.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,064MX$35.7K
$866LBP 77.5M
138.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Sidon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,115MX$19.3K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.34
11.16
1.61%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026
Last update for Sidon: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $246 in Sidon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $61.0 in Sidon. Groceries flip the comparison at $288 vs $235, with Sidon cheaper for home cooking.
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 Sidon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Sidon?
Mexico City and Sidon differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $1,023 including rent). Sidon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Sidon?
You'd need roughly $2,201 in Mexico City and $1,534 in Sidon to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and Sidon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $246 in Sidon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Sidon?
Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $300 in Sidon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Sidon – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,023 in Sidon versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sidon but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sidon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Sidon?
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.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Sidon?
Expats usually find Sidon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared