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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,883 per month in Rabat vs $1,182 in Ajijic, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,839 per month in Rabat vs $1,939 in Ajijic, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,796 per month in Rabat vs $2,696 in Ajijic, rent included.

Rabat costs about 59% more than Ajijic, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Rabat sits 41% above the global median, while Ajijic is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.07 €14.69

$7.91 MX$137

115.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 €60.9

$34.68 MX$601

103.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 €9.78

$6.80 MX$118

67.06%

Cappuccino

$2.45 €2.11

$3.35 MX$58.1

-26.87%

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

$2.66 €2.29

$1.07 MX$18.57

148.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.45

$0.85 MX$14.69

98.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 €3.02

$1.82 MX$31.60

92.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$3.15 MX$54.6

7.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.36 MX$23.48

-15.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 €1.11

$2.27 MX$39.40

-43.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.08 MX$18.73

118.52%

Eggs

$3.68 €3.17

$2.00 MX$34.64

84.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 €8.80

$8.09 MX$140

26.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.32 €7.17

$7.23 MX$125

15.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.92 €16.29

$6.80 MX$118

178.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 €3.71

$2.16 MX$37.38

99.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.02

$0.89 MX$15.44

164.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 €2.82

$0.91 MX$15.80

259.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 €1.95

$1.41 MX$24.49

60.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 €1.02

$1.38 MX$23.88

-13.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 €1.03

$1.04 MX$18.01

14.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.87 MX$15.02

35.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.02

$0.83 MX$14.31

43.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 €5.62

$4.07 MX$70.5

60.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.44 €7.27

$9.31 MX$161

-9.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.40 MX$24.28

34.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 €1.98

$1.68 MX$29.10

36.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 €2.42

$0.61 MX$10.58

360.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.67 €4.89

$1.09 MX$18.88

420.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.19 €3.61

$1.58 MX$27.43

165.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.43 €42.57

$3.18 MX$55.2

1454.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.31 MX$22.63

16.03%

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

$38.2K €32.9K

$18.8K MX$325.3K

103.37%

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

$37.4K €32.2K

$18.9K MX$327.2K

97.95%

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

$94.2 €81.1

$44.74 MX$775

110.55%

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

$12.60 €10.85

$16.21 MX$281

-22.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.84 €39.47

$25.54 MX$443

79.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.3 €59.7

$24.01 MX$416

188.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.35 €29.58

$5.24 MX$90.8

555.53%

Cinema Ticket

$10.56 €9.09

$4.29 MX$74.3

146.15%

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

$435 €375

$179 MX$3,101

143.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,574

$2,654 MX$46.0K

318.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.1 €77.6

$41.62 MX$721

116.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.48 €24.53

$16.17 MX$280

76.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 €63.7

$65.2 MX$1,131

13.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 €88.4

$54.1 MX$937

89.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 €972

$812 MX$14.1K

39.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$956 €823

$633 MX$11.0K

51.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,011 €1,732

$1,597 MX$27.7K

25.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 €1,299

$1,401 MX$24.3K

7.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,371 €3,764

$3,248 MX$56.3K

34.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,116 €2,683

$1,742 MX$30.2K

78.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,387 €1,194

$583 MX$10.1K

137.88%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ajijic: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,129 in Rabat versus $812 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 138% 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 $71.0 in Rabat versus $35.00 in Ajijic. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 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 59%, 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 $2,824 per month in Rabat and $1,773 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 $1,883 in Rabat and $1,182 in Ajijic. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $435 per month in Rabat and $179 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 $1,182, than in Rabat at $1,883. 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.