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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $530 in Tripoli.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $804 in Tripoli.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,079 in Tripoli.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 211% more expensive than in Tripoli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Tripoli is 61% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$3.88 LYD 24.59

212.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$14.99 LYD 94.9

248.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$2.49 LYD 15.77

337.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 LYD 3.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 LYD 3.82

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$0.44 LYD 2.76

820.45%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$0.42 LYD 2.65

309.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$0.09 LYD 0.59

1433.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$0.94 LYD 5.96

96.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$0.20 LYD 1.27

1510.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$1.12 LYD 7.10

86.61%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$1.33 LYD 8.44

118.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$5.03 LYD 31.87

148.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$3.27 LYD 20.73

209.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$9.86 LYD 62.4

61.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$2.32 LYD 14.70

42.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$1.51 LYD 9.55

41.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$0.71 LYD 4.47

208.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$0.55 LYD 3.50

345.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$0.71 LYD 4.47

208.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$0.46 LYD 2.90

313.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.43 LYD 2.70

276.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$0.19 LYD 1.17

610.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 LYD 11.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 LYD 6.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 LYD 5.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$2.00 LYD 12.64

171.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$0.32 LYD 2.04

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

$0.80 LYD 5.08

155.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.45 LYD 2.86

28.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.02 LYD 0.11

8000.00%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

$24.0K LYD 152.0K

-4.95%

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

$14.1K LYD 89.2K

89.25%

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$96.2 LYD 609

-32.18%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$5.63 LYD 35.65

430.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$27.89 LYD 177

31.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$23.88 LYD 151

155.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$2.39 LYD 15.16

1017.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

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

$453 MX$7,664

$53.6 LYD 339

746.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$623 LYD 3,945

2046.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$20.54 LYD 130

265.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$17.80 LYD 113

210.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$55.7 LYD 353

104.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$67.3 LYD 426

82.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$361 LYD 2,288

213.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$145 LYD 919

390.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

$602 LYD 3,810

327.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$262 LYD 1,661

399.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$250 LYD 1,584

318.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Tripoli: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $361 in Tripoli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 318% 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 $15.00 in Tripoli for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $115 per month, with Tripoli 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 Tripoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tripoli differ by about 211% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $530 including rent). Tripoli is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 318% 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 $361 in Tripoli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $53.6 in Tripoli. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tripoli – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $530 in Tripoli versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tripoli but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tripoli 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.

Expats usually find Tripoli gentler on the wallet – expenses run 211% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.