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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Abuja versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,850 in Abuja versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,012 in Abuja versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Abuja is roughly 14% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Abuja 26% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ₦2,812

$12.98 MX$227

-84.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.83 ₦61.7K

$53.1 MX$929

-15.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.70 ₦7,846

$9.72 MX$170

-41.36%

Cappuccino

$2.54 ₦3,501

$3.75 MX$65.6

-32.27%

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

$0.55 ₦760

$1.57 MX$27.46

-64.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₦573

$1.13 MX$19.76

-62.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 ₦1,478

$3.18 MX$55.7

-66.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₦1,639

$4.66 MX$81.6

-74.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.03 ₦4,179

$1.62 MX$28.37

87.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ₦1,725

$2.71 MX$47.36

-53.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ₦3,457

$1.88 MX$32.89

33.51%

Eggs

$1.50 ₦2,072

$2.51 MX$43.90

-40.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.30 ₦7,292

$10.08 MX$176

-47.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 ₦6,335

$8.29 MX$145

-44.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.94 ₦5,429

$11.94 MX$209

-67.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 ₦4,223

$2.86 MX$50.1

7.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₦2,442

$1.75 MX$30.62

1.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ₦3,009

$2.08 MX$36.48

5.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 ₦2,398

$1.97 MX$34.46

-11.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 ₦2,967

$2.16 MX$37.79

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ₦3,486

$2.18 MX$38.16

16.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ₦835

$1.39 MX$24.34

-56.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₦395

$1.12 MX$19.69

-74.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 ₦3,390

$4.20 MX$73.5

-41.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.09 ₦9,760

$14.25 MX$249

-50.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 ₦1,518

$1.76 MX$30.85

-37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₦1,964

$3.68 MX$64.5

-61.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 ₦883

$0.39 MX$6.74

64.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₦1,247

$1.39 MX$24.26

-34.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ₦1,408

$0.30 MX$5.32

240.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 ₦5,901

$5.42 MX$94.9

-20.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 ₦1,060

$1.35 MX$23.63

-42.96%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

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

$30.29 ₦41.7K

$40.82 MX$714

-25.80%

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

$10.91 ₦15.0K

$27.50 MX$481

-60.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.37 ₦58.3K

$30.38 MX$532

39.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.96 ₦60.5K

$53.4 MX$935

-17.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.60 ₦14.6K

$26.30 MX$460

-59.70%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ₦11.4K

$6.27 MX$110

31.74%

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

$132 ₦181.5K

$436 MX$7,632

-69.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,979 ₦2.7M

$10.5K MX$183.2K

-81.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.71 ₦40.9K

$56.8 MX$993

-47.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.33 ₦40.4K

$44.79 MX$784

-34.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 ₦93.7K

$103 MX$1,799

-33.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.3 ₦117.4K

$108 MX$1,888

-20.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,487 ₦3.4M

$1,000 MX$17.5K

148.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 ₦1.6M

$620 MX$10.9K

84.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,558 ₦7.7M

$2,137 MX$37.4K

160.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,731 ₦3.8M

$1,235 MX$21.6K

121.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,141 ₦1.6M

$3,865 MX$67.6K

-70.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,125 ₦1.5M

$2,332 MX$40.8K

-51.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 ₦392.1K

$1,067 MX$18.7K

-73.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.5

11.34

98.41%

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

Last update for Abuja: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,487 in Abuja and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 275% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Abuja vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $286 per month, with Abuja 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

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

Abuja and Mexico City differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,687 vs $1,484 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 275% 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: $2,487 in Abuja versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $132 in Abuja versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $45.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,687 in Abuja, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Abuja. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.