Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Tangier Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Tangier

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,042 in Tangier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,591 in Tangier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $2,140 in Tangier.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 58% more expensive than in Tangier, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Tangier is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$206

$5.40 MAD 50.4

124.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$887

$37.72 MAD 352

38.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$185

$7.56 MAD 70.6

44.18%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.9

$2.32 MAD 21.65

74.57%

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

$1.72 MX$29.15

$0.88 MAD 8.22

95.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.41

$0.45 MAD 4.20

206.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.9

$6.29 MAD 58.7

-44.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.8

$5.42 MAD 50.6

7.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.50

$1.10 MAD 10.32

68.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.8

$1.16 MAD 10.82

177.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.44

$1.77 MAD 16.51

18.08%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.44

$1.94 MAD 18.14

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$212

$10.36 MAD 96.7

20.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$7.17 MAD 67.0

41.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$270

$13.89 MAD 130

14.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.3

$1.59 MAD 14.84

108.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.14

$1.55 MAD 14.48

37.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.22

$0.76 MAD 7.13

188.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.59

$0.78 MAD 7.24

214.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.20

$0.65 MAD 6.04

236.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.37

$0.73 MAD 6.86

160.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.45

$0.51 MAD 4.77

217.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.94

$0.59 MAD 5.50

128.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$92.2

$4.34 MAD 40.56

25.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$299

$9.46 MAD 88.3

85.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.14

$4.03 MAD 37.63

-48.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.7

$3.99 MAD 37.28

19.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.78

$0.42 MAD 3.92

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$367

$16.04 MAD 150

34.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.67

$0.73 MAD 6.85

179.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.82

$0.93 MAD 8.73

-37.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$9.45 MAD 88.2

-36.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.46

$1.54 MAD 14.35

5.19%

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

$22.8K MX$387.6K

$34.9K MAD 325.9K

-34.64%

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

$26.7K MX$453.1K

$30.5K MAD 285.1K

-12.67%

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

$65.2 MX$1,109

$76.9 MAD 718

-15.12%

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

$29.87 MX$508

$14.04 MAD 131

112.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$621

$41.16 MAD 384

-11.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,037

$30.83 MAD 288

97.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$454

$37.61 MAD 351

-29.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$7.67 MAD 71.6

-10.69%

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

$453 MX$7,705

$95.4 MAD 890

375.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$227.2K

$6,349 MAD 59.3K

110.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,274

$37.82 MAD 353

98.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$940

$51.4 MAD 480

7.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,931

$102 MAD 953

11.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,084

$108 MAD 1,009

13.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.3K

$507 MAD 4,733

123.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.1K

$331 MAD 3,091

115.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.7K

$892 MAD 8,327

188.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.3K

$533 MAD 4,972

146.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.8K

$1,794 MAD 16.8K

122.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.6K

$1,232 MAD 11.5K

70.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.8K

$524 MAD 4,897

99.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

3.67

207.90%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Tangier: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $507 in Tangier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 100% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $38.00 in Tangier for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $230 per month, with Tangier 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 Tangier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tangier differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $1,042 including rent). Tangier is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 100% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $507 in Tangier. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tangier runs roughly 35% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $95.4 in Tangier. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,042 in Tangier versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tangier but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tangier 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 Tangier 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 Tangier gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.