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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $619 in Safi versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $948 in Safi versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,277 in Safi versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Safi costs roughly 58% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Safi is 54% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 MAD 36.81

$13.07 MX$229

-69.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.24 MAD 151

$53.8 MX$943

-69.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 MAD 43.82

$9.68 MX$170

-51.45%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MAD 18.25

$3.74 MX$65.6

-47.59%

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

$0.62 MAD 5.79

$1.62 MX$28.34

-61.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MAD 2.96

$1.16 MX$20.37

-72.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 MAD 15.41

$3.23 MX$56.6

-48.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 MAD 15.44

$4.74 MX$83.1

-64.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 MAD 8.07

$1.65 MX$28.89

-47.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MAD 4.71

$2.75 MX$48.30

-81.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MAD 14.27

$1.87 MX$32.87

-18.18%

Eggs

$1.87 MAD 17.47

$2.50 MX$43.86

-25.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.39 MAD 68.9

$10.20 MX$179

-27.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 MAD 63.5

$8.25 MX$145

-17.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.58 MAD 89.3

$11.82 MX$207

-18.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 MAD 11.85

$3.01 MX$52.8

-57.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 MAD 11.17

$1.81 MX$31.77

-33.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.17

$2.00 MX$35.07

-61.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.65

$2.00 MX$35.00

-64.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 MAD 6.28

$2.08 MX$36.56

-67.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 MAD 6.52

$2.27 MX$39.85

-69.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MAD 3.92

$1.46 MX$25.55

-71.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.95

$1.08 MX$18.88

-40.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MAD 38.56

$4.35 MX$76.3

-5.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.63 MAD 71.2

$16.99 MX$298

-55.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MAD 18.50

$1.73 MX$30.40

14.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MAD 18.07

$3.58 MX$62.7

-45.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MAD 4.77

$0.39 MX$6.79

30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.85 MAD 101

$18.69 MX$328

-41.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.95

$1.33 MX$23.25

-60.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MAD 4.80

$0.28 MX$4.91

82.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 MAD 61.8

$5.25 MX$92.1

26.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MAD 14.81

$1.34 MX$23.44

18.66%

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

$36.8K MAD 343.1K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

89.55%

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

$30.0K MAD 279.4K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

25.73%

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

$29.16 MAD 272

$40.69 MX$714

-28.34%

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

$11.26 MAD 105

$26.87 MX$471

-58.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.37 MAD 376

$30.51 MX$535

32.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.73 MAD 203

$52.8 MX$926

-58.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.56 MAD 51.8

$26.65 MX$467

-79.14%

Cinema Ticket

$3.94 MAD 36.73

$6.51 MX$114

-39.48%

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

$160 MAD 1,491

$428 MX$7,508

-62.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,729 MAD 34.8K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-64.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.18 MAD 393

$57.3 MX$1,004

-26.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.17 MAD 337

$45.50 MX$798

-20.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 MAD 918

$104 MX$1,825

-5.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.95 MAD 363

$108 MX$1,891

-63.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 MAD 2,288

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-75.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 MAD 1,313

$623 MX$10.9K

-77.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 MAD 4,234

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-78.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 MAD 2,239

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-80.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$920 MAD 8,575

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-76.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$561 MAD 5,232

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-72.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$458 MAD 4,268

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-55.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

11.34

-57.58%

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

Last update for Safi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $245 in Safi and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 127% 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: $16.00 in Safi vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $292 per month, with Safi 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

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

Safi and Mexico City differ by about 135% in total monthly costs ($619 vs $1,456 including rent). Safi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 127% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $245 in Safi versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Safi runs roughly 72% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $160 in Safi versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $619 in Safi versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Safi but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Safi 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, Safi 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 Safi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.