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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $505 in Tripoli.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $810 in Tripoli.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,114 in Tripoli.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 188% more expensive than in Tripoli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Tripoli is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$4.49 LYD 28.62

191.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$18.69 LYD 119

187.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$3.63 LYD 23.13

166.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.37

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.22

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$0.48 LYD 3.07

679.17%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.45 LYD 2.89

260.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.09 LYD 0.60

1188.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.03 LYD 6.58

60.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.23 LYD 1.47

1095.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.18 LYD 7.49

58.47%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.45 LYD 9.24

72.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$4.81 LYD 30.63

112.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$3.34 LYD 21.27

147.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$10.43 LYD 66.5

13.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.19 LYD 13.93

37.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.34 LYD 8.55

35.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$0.76 LYD 4.82

163.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$0.52 LYD 3.29

284.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.69 LYD 4.42

201.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.53 LYD 3.37

328.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.39 LYD 2.47

274.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.20 LYD 1.27

440.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.22 LYD 7.74

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.21

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 LYD 4.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$1.86 LYD 11.86

133.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.27 LYD 1.71

44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$21.56 LYD 137

-13.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.95 LYD 6.04

40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.85 LYD 5.43

-67.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$4.56 LYD 29.05

15.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.03 LYD 0.20

4366.67%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$13.7K LYD 87.2K

41.80%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$16.4K LYD 104.4K

45.44%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$32.67 LYD 208

24.55%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$8.27 LYD 52.7

224.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$22.56 LYD 144

35.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$27.55 LYD 176

91.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$11.74 LYD 74.8

127.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$4.49 LYD 28.62

44.99%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$52.4 LYD 334

716.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$932 LYD 5,939

1026.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$21.40 LYD 136

167.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$35.81 LYD 228

27.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$50.6 LYD 323

105.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$55.8 LYD 355

93.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$212 LYD 1,350

373.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$120 LYD 764

419.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$391 LYD 2,488

439.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$218 LYD 1,386

459.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$243 LYD 1,548

327.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

17.5

-35.20%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tripoli: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $212 in Tripoli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 327% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $19.00 in Tripoli for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $117 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 188% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $505 including rent). Tripoli is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 327% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $212 in Tripoli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tripoli runs roughly 15% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $52.4 in Tripoli. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $505 in Tripoli versus $1,456 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 188% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.