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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,226 in Abidjan versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,140 in Abidjan versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,054 in Abidjan versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Abidjan costs roughly 26% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Abidjan is 10% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.66 F CFA 1,521

$11.92 MX$206

-77.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 F CFA 39.6K

$51.6 MX$890

34.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 F CFA 6,126

$11.41 MX$197

-6.05%

Cappuccino

$1.92 F CFA 1,100

$3.99 MX$68.9

-51.88%

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

$0.75 F CFA 426

$1.66 MX$28.61

-54.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 F CFA 442

$1.33 MX$22.87

-42.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 F CFA 590

$3.47 MX$59.9

-70.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 F CFA 1,020

$5.90 MX$102

-69.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 F CFA 1,191

$1.88 MX$32.36

10.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 F CFA 318

$3.25 MX$56.1

-82.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 F CFA 671

$2.16 MX$37.26

-45.83%

Eggs

$2.39 F CFA 1,368

$2.90 MX$49.94

-17.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.36 F CFA 12.8K

$12.86 MX$222

73.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 F CFA 3,337

$10.05 MX$173

-41.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.09 F CFA 3,481

$15.86 MX$273

-61.60%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 F CFA 2,349

$3.29 MX$56.8

24.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 F CFA 615

$2.01 MX$34.60

-46.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 F CFA 1,234

$2.20 MX$37.93

-1.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 F CFA 1,400

$2.36 MX$40.63

3.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 F CFA 1,004

$2.05 MX$35.43

-14.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 F CFA 947

$1.90 MX$32.79

-12.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 F CFA 426

$1.61 MX$27.68

-53.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 F CFA 477

$1.40 MX$24.09

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.71 F CFA 978

$5.46 MX$94.2

-68.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.23 F CFA 2,991

$17.65 MX$304

-70.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 F CFA 614

$2.06 MX$35.44

-48.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 F CFA 770

$4.68 MX$80.8

-71.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 F CFA 493

$0.34 MX$5.84

152.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.77 F CFA 25.0K

$20.81 MX$359

110.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 F CFA 1,021

$2.10 MX$36.15

-14.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 F CFA 1,015

$0.56 MX$9.64

217.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.00 F CFA 14.9K

$5.81 MX$100

347.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 F CFA 831

$1.61 MX$27.68

-9.94%

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

$29.4K F CFA 16.8M

$22.8K MX$393.8K

28.81%

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

$27.1K F CFA 15.5M

$26.8K MX$461.2K

1.36%

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

$170 F CFA 97.0K

$65.2 MX$1,124

160.48%

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

$24.69 F CFA 14.1K

$30.09 MX$519

-17.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.46 F CFA 19.7K

$37.18 MX$641

-7.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.8 F CFA 41.0K

$59.8 MX$1,030

20.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.67 F CFA 12.4K

$26.55 MX$458

-18.38%

Cinema Ticket

$8.97 F CFA 5,127

$7.04 MX$121

27.41%

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

$375 F CFA 214.4K

$465 MX$8,012

-19.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,772 F CFA 2.7M

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-64.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.6 F CFA 53.5K

$75.9 MX$1,308

23.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.56 F CFA 21.5K

$56.0 MX$965

-32.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 F CFA 43.7K

$112 MX$1,929

-31.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 F CFA 81.2K

$121 MX$2,078

17.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 F CFA 392.8K

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-37.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 F CFA 206.3K

$721 MX$12.4K

-49.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,711 F CFA 1.5M

$2,530 MX$43.6K

7.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 F CFA 583.0K

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-21.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,265 F CFA 1.3M

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-43.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$691 F CFA 394.9K

$2,090 MX$36.0K

-66.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$222 F CFA 126.7K

$1,037 MX$17.9K

-78.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.75

11.3

39.38%

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

Last update for Abidjan: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $687 in Abidjan and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 368% 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: $69.0 in Abidjan vs $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $345, with Abidjan cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Abidjan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 368% 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: $687 in Abidjan versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Abidjan – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,226 per month in Abidjan versus $1,660 in Mexico City – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,226 in Abidjan versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Abidjan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Abidjan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Abidjan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Abidjan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.