😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $350 in Zliten.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $539 in Zliten.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $728 in Zliten.
🌍Living in Mexico City is roughly 374% more expensive than in Zliten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Zliten is 74% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Zliten
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.92MX$206
$3.90LYD 24.72
205.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.6MX$890
$12.85LYD 81.5
301.56%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.41MX$197
$2.54LYD 16.09
349.21%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.45LYD 2.88
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.61LYD 3.86
-
Cappuccino
$3.99MX$68.9
$0.40LYD 2.55
897.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66MX$28.61
$0.41LYD 2.57
304.88%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33MX$22.87
$0.11LYD 0.68
1109.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.47MX$59.9
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.90MX$102
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Zliten
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.88MX$32.36
$0.83LYD 5.25
126.51%
White Bread(500g)
$3.25MX$56.1
$0.20LYD 1.27
1525.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.16MX$37.26
$0.81LYD 5.14
166.67%
Eggs
$2.90MX$49.94
$1.16LYD 7.33
150.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.86MX$222
$5.07LYD 32.11
153.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.05MX$173
$2.90LYD 18.40
246.55%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.86MX$273
$9.34LYD 59.2
69.81%
Apples(1kg)
$3.29MX$56.8
$2.29LYD 14.51
43.67%
Banana(1kg)
$2.01MX$34.60
$1.51LYD 9.56
33.11%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.20MX$37.93
$0.72LYD 4.58
205.56%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.36MX$40.63
$0.57LYD 3.58
314.04%
Potato(1kg)
$2.05MX$35.43
$0.71LYD 4.52
188.73%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90MX$32.79
$0.46LYD 2.89
313.04%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.61MX$27.68
$0.43LYD 2.72
274.42%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.40MX$24.09
$0.20LYD 1.24
600.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$1.78LYD 11.30
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.07LYD 6.76
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.80LYD 5.06
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.46MX$94.2
$2.00LYD 12.67
173.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.65MX$304
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.06MX$35.44
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.68MX$80.8
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Zliten
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.34MX$5.84
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$20.81MX$359
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.10MX$36.15
$0.78LYD 4.93
169.23%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.56MX$9.64
$0.49LYD 3.12
14.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.81MX$100
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.61MX$27.68
$0.02LYD 0.13
7950.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8KMX$393.8K
$23.7KLYD 150.3K
-3.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KMX$461.2K
$14.2KLYD 90.3K
87.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Zliten
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$65.2MX$1,124
$95.1LYD 603
-31.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.09MX$519
$5.94LYD 37.64
406.57%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.18MX$641
$27.82LYD 176
33.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Zliten
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$59.8MX$1,030
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.55MX$458
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.04MX$121
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Zliten
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$465MX$8,012
$53.5LYD 339
769.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.3KMX$228.9K
$625LYD 3,959
2025.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Zliten
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.9MX$1,308
$20.76LYD 132
265.51%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.0MX$965
$17.71LYD 112
215.92%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$112MX$1,929
$56.3LYD 357
98.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121MX$2,078
$67.8LYD 430
77.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Zliten
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,103MX$19.0K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$721MX$12.4K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,530MX$43.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,293MX$22.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,991MX$68.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,090MX$36.0K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Zliten
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,037MX$17.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.3
0
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026
Last update for Zliten: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $13.00 in Zliten for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $109 per month, with Zliten 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 Zliten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Zliten?
Mexico City and Zliten differ by about 374% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $350 including rent). Zliten is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Zliten?
You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $525 in Zliten to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Zliten?
Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $53.5 in Zliten. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Zliten – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $350 in Zliten versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zliten but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Zliten the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Zliten?
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.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Zliten?
Expats usually find Zliten gentler on the wallet – expenses run 374% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared