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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $590 in Tlemcen versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $902 in Tlemcen versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,215 in Tlemcen versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Tlemcen costs roughly 59% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tlemcen is 56% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 DZD 298

$12.98 MX$223

-82.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.25 DZD 1,623

$52.6 MX$903

-76.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.86 DZD 512

$9.43 MX$162

-59.07%

Cappuccino

$0.39 DZD 51.2

$3.57 MX$61.3

-89.08%

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

$0.51 DZD 67.2

$1.61 MX$27.55

-68.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.82

$1.15 MX$19.81

-81.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 DZD 252

$3.15 MX$54.0

-39.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 DZD 319

$4.86 MX$83.4

-50.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 DZD 89.4

$1.70 MX$29.17

-60.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.16 DZD 21.23

$2.64 MX$45.23

-93.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 DZD 249

$1.90 MX$32.67

-1.05%

Eggs

$1.77 DZD 234

$2.54 MX$43.62

-30.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.74 DZD 1,158

$10.08 MX$173

-13.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 DZD 478

$8.29 MX$142

-56.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.16 DZD 1,744

$11.57 MX$199

13.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 DZD 322

$3.03 MX$52.0

-19.80%

Banana (1kg)

$3.30 DZD 437

$1.71 MX$29.35

92.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 DZD 212

$2.05 MX$35.16

-21.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 DZD 80.8

$2.06 MX$35.36

-70.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 DZD 63.2

$2.06 MX$35.43

-76.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 DZD 72.4

$2.17 MX$37.25

-74.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 DZD 99.4

$1.40 MX$24.08

-46.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 DZD 47.89

$1.12 MX$19.26

-67.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 DZD 313

$4.29 MX$73.7

-44.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.04 DZD 1,331

$15.41 MX$265

-34.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 DZD 177

$1.67 MX$28.74

-19.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 DZD 279

$3.69 MX$63.3

-43.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 DZD 24.10

$0.38 MX$6.55

-52.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.11 DZD 2,267

$19.06 MX$327

-10.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 DZD 91.9

$1.38 MX$23.70

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.81

$0.28 MX$4.74

21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.44 DZD 721

$5.42 MX$92.9

0.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.30 DZD 40.30

$1.28 MX$21.98

-76.56%

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

$32.6K DZD 4.3M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

71.52%

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

$33.9K DZD 4.5M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

44.28%

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

$49.93 DZD 6,617

$41.02 MX$704

21.72%

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

$7.80 DZD 1,034

$26.92 MX$462

-71.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.26 DZD 2,288

$29.69 MX$510

-41.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.23 DZD 3,079

$52.3 MX$898

-55.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$5.55 DZD 736

$6.18 MX$106

-10.19%

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

$94.8 DZD 12.6K

$427 MX$7,331

-77.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,538 DZD 468.9K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-66.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.30 DZD 4,811

$56.8 MX$975

-36.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.12 DZD 5,980

$44.83 MX$769

0.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 DZD 9,853

$105 MX$1,794

-28.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.3 DZD 10.4K

$106 MX$1,819

-26.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 DZD 25.7K

$995 MX$17.1K

-80.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 DZD 15.3K

$621 MX$10.7K

-81.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 DZD 36.8K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-86.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 DZD 24.1K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-85.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$249 DZD 33.0K

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-77.51%

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 Tlemcen: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $194 in Tlemcen and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 345% 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: $12.00 in Tlemcen vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $288 per month, with Tlemcen 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

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

Tlemcen and Mexico City differ by about 145% in total monthly costs ($590 vs $1,447 including rent). Tlemcen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 345% less. 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: $194 in Tlemcen versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tlemcen runs roughly 11% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $94.8 in Tlemcen versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $590 in Tlemcen versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tlemcen but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tlemcen 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, Tlemcen 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 Tlemcen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 145% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.