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: $452 in Setif versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $762 in Setif versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,071 in Setif versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Setif costs roughly 69% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Setif is 66% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.28 DZD 303

$13.07 MX$228

-82.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.12 DZD 2,136

$53.8 MX$936

-70.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.91 DZD 519

$9.68 MX$169

-59.61%

Cappuccino

$0.67 DZD 89.2

$3.74 MX$65.1

-82.09%

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

$0.60 DZD 79.9

$1.62 MX$28.13

-62.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.74

$1.16 MX$20.23

-81.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 DZD 196

$3.23 MX$56.2

-54.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 DZD 281

$4.74 MX$82.5

-55.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 DZD 93.3

$1.65 MX$28.68

-57.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.14 DZD 18.16

$2.75 MX$47.95

-94.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 DZD 142

$1.87 MX$32.63

-42.78%

Eggs

$1.85 DZD 246

$2.50 MX$43.54

-26.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.69 DZD 887

$10.20 MX$178

-34.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.09 DZD 674

$8.25 MX$144

-38.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 DZD 1,864

$11.82 MX$206

19.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 DZD 374

$3.01 MX$52.4

-6.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 DZD 393

$1.81 MX$31.54

64.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 DZD 198

$2.00 MX$34.81

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 DZD 101

$2.00 MX$34.74

-62.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 DZD 69.0

$2.08 MX$36.30

-75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 DZD 66.5

$2.27 MX$39.56

-77.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 DZD 59.9

$1.46 MX$25.36

-69.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.66

$1.08 MX$18.74

-74.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 DZD 373

$4.35 MX$75.7

-35.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.33 DZD 707

$16.99 MX$296

-68.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 DZD 178

$1.73 MX$30.18

-22.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 DZD 280

$3.58 MX$62.3

-41.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 DZD 20.85

$0.39 MX$6.74

-58.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.89 DZD 781

$18.69 MX$325

-68.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 DZD 93.8

$1.33 MX$23.08

-46.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.94

$0.28 MX$4.87

21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 DZD 677

$5.25 MX$91.5

-2.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 DZD 48.47

$1.34 MX$23.27

-72.39%

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

$29.0K DZD 3.8M

$19.4K MX$338.0K

49.45%

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

$20.9K DZD 2.8M

$23.8K MX$415.0K

-12.41%

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

$38.53 DZD 5,106

$40.69 MX$709

-5.31%

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

$9.25 DZD 1,226

$26.87 MX$468

-65.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.15 DZD 1,743

$30.51 MX$531

-56.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.16 DZD 2,406

$52.8 MX$919

-65.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.69 DZD 754

$26.65 MX$464

-78.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.59 DZD 741

$6.51 MX$113

-14.13%

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

$93.8 DZD 12.4K

$428 MX$7,454

-78.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,669 DZD 486.2K

$10.5K MX$182.8K

-65.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.41 DZD 3,235

$57.3 MX$997

-57.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.82 DZD 3,554

$45.50 MX$792

-41.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.78 DZD 5,935

$104 MX$1,812

-56.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.4 DZD 7,473

$108 MX$1,878

-47.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.8 DZD 9,911

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-92.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.9 DZD 7,281

$623 MX$10.8K

-91.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$182 DZD 24.1K

$2,109 MX$36.7K

-91.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 DZD 20.2K

$1,218 MX$21.2K

-87.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$922 DZD 122.2K

$3,885 MX$67.6K

-76.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$386 DZD 51.2K

$2,033 MX$35.4K

-80.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$299 DZD 39.7K

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-71.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.42

11.34

-52.20%

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

Last update for Setif: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $74.8 in Setif and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 247% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $292 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 222% in total monthly costs ($452 vs $1,456 including rent). Setif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 247% 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: $74.8 in Setif 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 Setif runs roughly 217% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $93.8 in Setif versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $452 in Setif versus $1,456 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 222% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.