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: $1,466 in Mexico City versus $549 in Souk Ahras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,325 in Mexico City versus $837 in Souk Ahras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,184 in Mexico City versus $1,126 in Souk Ahras.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 167% more expensive than Souk Ahras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Souk Ahras is 59% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 MX$231

$2.46 DZD 325

440.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$932

$10.63 DZD 1,407

406.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$3.80 DZD 503

147.89%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$0.67 DZD 88.5

435.82%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.51 DZD 67.3

217.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$0.21 DZD 27.78

433.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$1.91 DZD 253

70.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 MX$80.6

$2.40 DZD 318

93.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.87 DZD 115

88.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$46.00

$0.20 DZD 26.33

1225.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.99

$1.24 DZD 164

58.06%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.08

$1.89 DZD 250

34.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 MX$173

$3.42 DZD 452

191.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 MX$145

$2.80 DZD 371

199.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 MX$205

$16.52 DZD 2,186

-28.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.62

$1.54 DZD 204

85.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.05

$2.98 DZD 394

-41.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.50

$1.21 DZD 160

64.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.51

$1.23 DZD 162

66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.41 DZD 54.0

402.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 MX$39.54

$0.39 DZD 51.0

484.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.05

$0.23 DZD 30.40

530.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.83

$0.29 DZD 38.86

275.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$2.17 DZD 288

96.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 MX$254

$7.76 DZD 1,027

89.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.58

$1.31 DZD 173

34.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MX$61.8

$2.14 DZD 283

66.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.67

$0.22 DZD 29.14

72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

$17.09 DZD 2,262

9.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.09

$0.69 DZD 91.8

101.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.26

$0.44 DZD 58.9

-31.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$93.8

$5.29 DZD 699

2.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.22

$0.33 DZD 43.94

306.06%

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

$18.9K MX$326.7K

$32.5K DZD 4.3M

-42.05%

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

$23.2K MX$402.0K

$33.8K DZD 4.5M

-31.38%

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

$40.30 MX$698

$40.55 DZD 5,367

-0.62%

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

$27.15 MX$471

$9.58 DZD 1,268

183.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$510

$19.65 DZD 2,601

49.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 MX$914

$12.11 DZD 1,603

335.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

$3.92 DZD 519

567.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$107

$5.45 DZD 721

13.39%

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

$441 MX$7,637

$93.2 DZD 12.3K

372.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.4K

$3,576 DZD 473.2K

199.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 MX$992

$30.46 DZD 4,031

87.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.04 MX$781

$44.74 DZD 5,921

0.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,793

$80.8 DZD 10.7K

28.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,884

$79.0 DZD 10.4K

37.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.3K

$194 DZD 25.7K

414.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 MX$11.0K

$115 DZD 15.2K

451.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 MX$37.1K

$305 DZD 40.3K

602.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 MX$21.7K

$179 DZD 23.7K

599.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 MX$64.9K

$309 DZD 40.9K

1112.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,381 MX$41.3K

$283 DZD 37.4K

741.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.7K

$307 DZD 40.6K

251.54%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Souk Ahras: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $194 in Souk Ahras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 252% 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 in Mexico City vs $11 in Souk Ahras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $166 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 167% in total monthly costs ($1,466 vs $549 including rent). Souk Ahras is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 252% 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $194 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 10% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $441 in Mexico City versus $93.2 in Souk Ahras. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $549 in Souk Ahras versus $1,466 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 167% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.