Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Souk Ahras Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Souk Ahras

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $547 in Souk Ahras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $837 in Souk Ahras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,126 in Souk Ahras.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 164% more expensive than Souk Ahras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Souk Ahras is 59% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$2.46 DZD 326

427.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$10.96 DZD 1,453

380.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.95 DZD 523

138.73%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$0.65 DZD 86.2

449.23%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.50 DZD 65.9

222.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.23 DZD 30.57

400.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.92 DZD 255

64.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.41 DZD 320

101.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$0.81 DZD 107

109.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.23 DZD 29.86

1047.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.25 DZD 166

52.00%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.94 DZD 258

30.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$3.46 DZD 458

191.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$2.85 DZD 378

190.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$16.78 DZD 2,223

-31.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.56 DZD 206

94.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.95 DZD 391

-42.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.23 DZD 163

66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.18 DZD 156

74.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.44 DZD 57.9

368.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.38 DZD 50.4

471.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.23 DZD 30.36

508.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.29 DZD 38.96

286.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.28 DZD 303

88.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$6.18 DZD 819

149.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.29 DZD 171

29.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.17 DZD 288

70.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.18 DZD 24.09

111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$17.64 DZD 2,338

8.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.66 DZD 87.2

109.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.48 DZD 63.5

-41.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$5.34 DZD 708

1.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.33 DZD 44.05

287.88%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$32.9K DZD 4.4M

-42.34%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$34.3K DZD 4.5M

-31.59%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$40.58 DZD 5,379

1.08%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$9.30 DZD 1,233

189.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$20.01 DZD 2,652

48.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$12.05 DZD 1,598

334.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$4.07 DZD 540

544.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$5.42 DZD 719

14.02%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$91.5 DZD 12.1K

366.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$3,633 DZD 481.5K

194.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$30.65 DZD 4,062

85.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$46.03 DZD 6,101

-2.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$79.2 DZD 10.5K

31.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$78.8 DZD 10.4K

34.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$197 DZD 26.1K

405.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$114 DZD 15.2K

442.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$305 DZD 40.4K

597.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$182 DZD 24.1K

590.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,133 DZD 150.1K

244.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,151 DZD 152.5K

82.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$297 DZD 39.4K

272.79%

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 Souk Ahras: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $197 in Souk Ahras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 273% 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 $11.00 in Souk Ahras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $164 per month, with Souk Ahras 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 Souk Ahras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Souk Ahras differ by about 164% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $547 including rent). Souk Ahras is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 273% 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 $197 in Souk Ahras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Souk Ahras runs roughly 8% 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 $91.5 in Souk Ahras. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $547 in Souk Ahras versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Souk Ahras but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Souk Ahras 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 Souk Ahras 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 Souk Ahras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 164% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.