Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabat and Ajijic Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabat and Ajijic

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,900 per month in Rabat vs $1,190 in Ajijic, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,823 per month in Rabat vs $1,926 in Ajijic, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,747 per month in Rabat vs $2,662 in Ajijic, rent included.

Rabat costs about 60% more than Ajijic, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Rabat sits 42% above the global median, while Ajijic is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 €15.40

$7.75 MX$136

127.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.8

$34.05 MX$597

104.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 €9.93

$6.93 MX$122

63.78%

Cappuccino

$2.37 €2.08

$3.26 MX$57.1

-27.30%

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

$2.65 €2.31

$1.07 MX$18.79

147.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 €1.55

$0.81 MX$14.21

118.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.46 €3.02

$1.89 MX$33.12

83.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 €3.10

$3.23 MX$56.7

9.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €1.00

$1.34 MX$23.56

-14.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 €1.09

$2.25 MX$39.50

-44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 €1.97

$1.04 MX$18.28

116.35%

Eggs

$3.76 €3.29

$1.97 MX$34.56

90.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 €9.06

$8.05 MX$141

28.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 €7.25

$7.35 MX$129

12.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.38 €16.95

$7.02 MX$123

176.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 €3.89

$2.24 MX$39.21

98.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 €2.07

$0.91 MX$15.88

159.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 €2.94

$0.83 MX$14.55

304.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 €2.01

$1.47 MX$25.84

56.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 €0.99

$1.40 MX$24.64

-19.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 €1.05

$1.00 MX$17.60

19.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 €1.04

$0.96 MX$16.76

23.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.04

$0.81 MX$14.20

46.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.63 €5.80

$4.17 MX$73.1

58.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 €7.24

$9.08 MX$159

-8.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 €1.64

$1.37 MX$24.03

36.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.98

$1.62 MX$28.41

39.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 €2.60

$0.61 MX$10.78

386.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 €5.20

$1.04 MX$18.19

471.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.25 €3.72

$1.53 MX$26.86

177.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.49 €43.30

$3.14 MX$55.1

1476.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.32

$1.31 MX$23.03

15.27%

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

$38.8K €34.0K

$18.7K MX$328.5K

107.34%

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

$38.1K €33.4K

$18.4K MX$322.3K

107.52%

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

$92.8 €81.2

$44.83 MX$786

107.00%

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

$12.79 €11.19

$16.23 MX$285

-21.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.68 €39.09

$25.61 MX$449

74.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.2 €60.5

$23.83 MX$418

190.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.97 €30.59

$5.26 MX$92.3

564.83%

Cinema Ticket

$10.36 €9.06

$4.34 MX$76.1

138.71%

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

$430 €376

$181 MX$3,179

136.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K €9,581

$2,633 MX$46.2K

315.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 €79.3

$42.94 MX$753

110.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.70 €25.11

$16.18 MX$284

77.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.6 €65.3

$67.4 MX$1,181

10.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 €87.8

$55.2 MX$968

81.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 €1,008

$817 MX$14.3K

41.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$932 €815

$635 MX$11.1K

46.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,993 €1,744

$1,587 MX$27.8K

25.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,342

$1,385 MX$24.3K

10.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,061 €3,553

$3,254 MX$57.1K

24.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,107 €2,718

$1,758 MX$30.8K

76.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,366 €1,195

$586 MX$10.3K

133.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

11.24

-71.53%

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

Last update for Rabat: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ajijic: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,152 in Rabat versus $817 in Ajijic. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 133% higher in Rabat, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Rabat versus $34.00 in Ajijic. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $205 – making Ajijic the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Rabat vs Ajijic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rabat is pricier by about 60%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,850 per month in Rabat and $1,784 in Ajijic. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ajijic, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,900 in Rabat and $1,190 in Ajijic. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $430 per month in Rabat and $181 in Ajijic. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ajijic, where all-in costs run around $1,190, than in Rabat at $1,900. In Ajijic it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rabat it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ajijic – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ajijic. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rabat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.