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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $574 in Ouarzazate versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $918 in Ouarzazate versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,261 in Ouarzazate versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Ouarzazate costs roughly 60% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ouarzazate is 57% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 MAD 42.51

$12.98 MX$223

-64.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.93 MAD 101

$52.6 MX$903

-79.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.41 MAD 40.77

$9.43 MX$162

-53.23%

Cappuccino

$1.08 MAD 10.01

$3.57 MX$61.3

-69.75%

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

$0.45 MAD 4.19

$1.61 MX$27.55

-72.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MAD 3.27

$1.15 MX$19.81

-69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 MAD 25.95

$3.15 MX$54.0

-10.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 MAD 25.76

$4.86 MX$83.4

-42.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 MAD 7.61

$1.70 MX$29.17

-51.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 MAD 4.95

$2.64 MX$45.23

-79.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MAD 13.40

$1.90 MX$32.67

-23.68%

Eggs

$1.61 MAD 14.87

$2.54 MX$43.62

-36.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 MAD 73.0

$10.08 MX$173

-21.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 MAD 39.09

$8.29 MX$142

-48.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.74 MAD 62.3

$11.57 MX$199

-41.75%

Apples (1kg)

$0.95 MAD 8.83

$3.03 MX$52.0

-68.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 MAD 12.45

$1.71 MX$29.35

-21.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 MAD 6.30

$2.05 MX$35.16

-66.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 MAD 6.73

$2.06 MX$35.36

-64.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 MAD 6.29

$2.06 MX$35.43

-66.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 MAD 3.94

$2.17 MX$37.25

-80.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.21 MAD 1.93

$1.40 MX$24.08

-85.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.91

$1.12 MX$19.26

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MAD 39.67

$4.29 MX$73.7

Wine (Bottle)

$8.24 MAD 76.3

$15.41 MX$265

-46.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 MAD 25.11

$1.67 MX$28.74

62.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 MAD 28.00

$3.69 MX$63.3

-17.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MAD 4.74

$0.38 MX$6.55

34.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.21 MAD 150

$19.06 MX$327

-14.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 MAD 5.20

$1.38 MX$23.70

-59.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MAD 4.77

$0.28 MX$4.74

85.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 MAD 25.99

$5.42 MX$92.9

-48.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MAD 13.99

$1.28 MX$21.98

17.97%

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

$36.6K MAD 338.7K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

92.91%

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

$29.8K MAD 276.0K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

27.15%

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

$32.38 MAD 300

$41.02 MX$704

-21.06%

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

$5.21 MAD 48.23

$26.92 MX$462

-80.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.37 MAD 225

$29.69 MX$510

-17.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.28 MAD 141

$52.3 MX$898

-70.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.53 MAD 218

$26.23 MX$450

-10.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.86 MAD 35.68

$6.18 MX$106

-37.54%

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

$77.0 MAD 712

$427 MX$7,331

-81.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,225 MAD 57.6K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-41.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.32 MAD 355

$56.8 MX$975

-32.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 MAD 469

$44.83 MX$769

13.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.24 MAD 456

$105 MX$1,794

-52.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.5 MAD 606

$106 MX$1,819

-38.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 MAD 2,242

$995 MX$17.1K

-75.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$130 MAD 1,204

$621 MX$10.7K

-79.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MAD 4,711

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-76.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 MAD 2,783

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-76.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,568 MAD 14.5K

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-59.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$944 MAD 8,730

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-54.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.75

11.34

-58.11%

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

Last update for Ouarzazate: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Ouarzazate and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $11.00 in Ouarzazate vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $158 vs $288 per month, with Ouarzazate 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

Ouarzazate vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ouarzazate and Mexico City differ by about 152% in total monthly costs ($574 vs $1,447 including rent). Ouarzazate is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $861 in Ouarzazate and $2,171 in Mexico City 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $242 in Ouarzazate versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ouarzazate runs roughly 18% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $77.0 in Ouarzazate versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $574 in Ouarzazate versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ouarzazate but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ouarzazate 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, Ouarzazate and Mexico City 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 Ouarzazate gentler on the wallet – expenses run 152% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.