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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $505 in Tripoli versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $810 in Tripoli versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,114 in Tripoli versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Tripoli costs roughly 65% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tripoli is 62% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.49 LYD 28.62

$13.07 MX$228

-65.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.69 LYD 119

$53.8 MX$936

-65.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 LYD 23.13

$9.68 MX$169

-62.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.37

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.22

Cappuccino

$0.48 LYD 3.07

$3.74 MX$65.1

-87.17%

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

$0.45 LYD 2.89

$1.62 MX$28.13

-72.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.09 LYD 0.60

$1.16 MX$20.23

-92.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 LYD 6.58

$1.65 MX$28.68

-37.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LYD 1.47

$2.75 MX$47.95

-91.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 LYD 7.49

$1.87 MX$32.63

-36.90%

Eggs

$1.45 LYD 9.24

$2.50 MX$43.54

-42.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.81 LYD 30.63

$10.20 MX$178

-52.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 LYD 21.27

$8.25 MX$144

-59.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 LYD 66.5

$11.82 MX$206

-11.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 LYD 13.93

$3.01 MX$52.4

-27.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 LYD 8.55

$1.81 MX$31.54

-25.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 LYD 4.82

$2.00 MX$34.81

-62.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 LYD 3.29

$2.00 MX$34.74

-74.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 LYD 4.42

$2.08 MX$36.30

-66.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 LYD 3.37

$2.27 MX$39.56

-76.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 LYD 2.47

$1.46 MX$25.36

-73.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.20 LYD 1.27

$1.08 MX$18.74

-81.48%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.22 LYD 7.74

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.21

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 LYD 4.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 LYD 11.86

$4.35 MX$75.7

-57.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 LYD 1.71

$0.39 MX$6.74

-30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.56 LYD 137

$18.69 MX$325

15.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 LYD 6.04

$1.33 MX$23.08

-28.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 LYD 5.43

$0.28 MX$4.87

203.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 LYD 29.05

$5.25 MX$91.5

-13.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.20

$1.34 MX$23.27

-97.76%

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

$13.7K LYD 87.2K

$19.4K MX$338.0K

-29.48%

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

$16.4K LYD 104.4K

$23.8K MX$415.0K

-31.24%

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

$32.67 LYD 208

$40.69 MX$709

-19.71%

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

$8.27 LYD 52.7

$26.87 MX$468

-69.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.56 LYD 144

$30.51 MX$531

-26.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.55 LYD 176

$52.8 MX$919

-47.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.74 LYD 74.8

$26.65 MX$464

-55.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 LYD 28.62

$6.51 MX$113

-31.03%

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

$52.4 LYD 334

$428 MX$7,454

-87.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$932 LYD 5,939

$10.5K MX$182.8K

-91.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.40 LYD 136

$57.3 MX$997

-62.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.81 LYD 228

$45.50 MX$792

-21.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.6 LYD 323

$104 MX$1,812

-51.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.8 LYD 355

$108 MX$1,878

-48.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$212 LYD 1,350

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-78.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 LYD 764

$623 MX$10.8K

-80.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 LYD 2,488

$2,109 MX$36.7K

-81.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 LYD 1,386

$1,218 MX$21.2K

-82.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$243 LYD 1,548

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-76.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.5

11.34

54.32%

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

Last update for Tripoli: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $212 in Tripoli and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 327% 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: $19.00 in Tripoli vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $292 per month, with Tripoli 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

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

Tripoli and Mexico City differ by about 188% in total monthly costs ($505 vs $1,456 including rent). Tripoli is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 327% 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: $212 in Tripoli 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 Tripoli runs roughly 15% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $52.4 in Tripoli versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $505 in Tripoli versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tripoli but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tripoli 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.

Expats usually find Tripoli gentler on the wallet – expenses run 188% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.