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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $435 in Setif versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $705 in Setif versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $974 in Setif versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Setif costs roughly 74% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Setif is 68% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.21 DZD 425

$12.11 MX$205

-73.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.36 DZD 2,168

$52.2 MX$883

-68.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.76 DZD 498

$10.90 MX$184

-65.50%

Cappuccino

$0.60 DZD 79.8

$4.05 MX$68.5

-85.19%

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

$0.67 DZD 88.5

$1.72 MX$28.99

-61.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 DZD 26.51

$1.38 MX$23.28

-85.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 DZD 198

$3.47 MX$58.6

-57.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 DZD 289

$5.81 MX$98.2

-62.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 DZD 97.8

$1.85 MX$31.32

-60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.13 DZD 17.00

$3.22 MX$54.5

-95.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 DZD 139

$2.09 MX$35.24

-49.76%

Eggs

$0.87 DZD 116

$2.91 MX$49.16

-70.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.53 DZD 866

$12.49 MX$211

-47.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.20 DZD 557

$10.11 MX$171

-58.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 DZD 1,990

$15.89 MX$269

-5.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 DZD 285

$3.31 MX$56.0

-35.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 DZD 370

$2.13 MX$35.94

30.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 DZD 154

$2.19 MX$37.02

-47.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 DZD 114

$2.45 MX$41.36

-64.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 DZD 72.3

$2.19 MX$36.99

-74.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 DZD 63.1

$1.90 MX$32.19

-74.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 DZD 56.3

$1.62 MX$27.30

-74.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 28.33

$1.35 MX$22.81

-84.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 DZD 361

$5.43 MX$91.7

-49.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 DZD 756

$17.59 MX$297

-67.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 DZD 167

$2.07 MX$34.95

-39.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 DZD 270

$4.75 MX$80.2

-57.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 DZD 17.13

$0.34 MX$5.74

-61.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.77 DZD 764

$21.58 MX$365

-73.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 DZD 75.4

$2.04 MX$34.48

-72.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 DZD 54.6

$0.58 MX$9.77

-29.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 DZD 680

$5.97 MX$101

-14.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 DZD 48.21

$1.62 MX$27.30

-77.78%

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

$29.3K DZD 3.9M

$22.8K MX$385.5K

28.41%

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

$21.0K DZD 2.8M

$26.7K MX$450.6K

-21.21%

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

$36.86 DZD 4,886

$65.2 MX$1,102

-43.50%

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

$10.76 DZD 1,427

$29.87 MX$505

-63.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.97 DZD 1,720

$36.55 MX$618

-64.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.14 DZD 2,405

$61.0 MX$1,031

-70.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.84 DZD 774

$26.70 MX$451

-78.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.51 DZD 598

$6.85 MX$116

-34.16%

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

$574 DZD 76.1K

$453 MX$7,662

26.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,503 DZD 862.0K

$13.4K MX$226.0K

-51.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.19 DZD 2,279

$75.0 MX$1,267

-77.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.44 DZD 2,047

$55.3 MX$934

-72.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.47 DZD 4,702

$114 MX$1,920

-68.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 DZD 7,616

$123 MX$2,073

-53.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$69.4 DZD 9,196

$1,134 MX$19.2K

-93.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$49.21 DZD 6,524

$712 MX$12.0K

-93.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$138 DZD 18.3K

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-94.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 DZD 15.5K

$1,311 MX$22.2K

-91.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$343 DZD 45.5K

$3,993 MX$67.5K

-91.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$310 DZD 41.1K

$1,047 MX$17.7K

-70.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.3

11.3

-53.10%

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

Last update for Setif: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $69.4 in Setif and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 238% 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 Setif vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $167 vs $345 per month, with Setif 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

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

Setif and Mexico City differ by about 279% in total monthly costs ($435 vs $1,646 including rent). Setif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 238% 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: $69.4 in Setif versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Setif runs roughly 274% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $574 in Setif versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $435 in Setif versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Setif but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Setif 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, Setif 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 Setif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 279% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.