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: $1,650 in Abuja versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,777 in Abuja versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,905 in Abuja versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Abuja is roughly 12% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Abuja 24% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 ₦2,760

$13.14 MX$227

-84.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.61 ₦60.9K

$53.5 MX$926

-16.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ₦7,652

$9.33 MX$161

-39.87%

Cappuccino

$2.56 ₦3,498

$3.70 MX$64.0

-30.81%

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

$0.50 ₦688

$1.60 MX$27.76

-68.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₦526

$1.12 MX$19.34

-65.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₦1,444

$3.14 MX$54.3

-66.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 ₦1,612

$4.85 MX$83.9

-75.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.12 ₦4,253

$1.65 MX$28.61

89.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 ₦1,769

$2.71 MX$46.96

-52.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 ₦3,294

$1.91 MX$33.03

26.18%

Eggs

$1.49 ₦2,030

$2.59 MX$44.81

-42.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.12 ₦6,982

$9.81 MX$170

-47.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 ₦6,306

$8.43 MX$146

-45.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.84 ₦5,244

$11.93 MX$206

-67.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 ₦4,046

$2.95 MX$51.1

0.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ₦2,315

$1.74 MX$30.10

-2.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ₦2,948

$2.04 MX$35.38

5.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 ₦2,414

$2.06 MX$35.64

-14.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 ₦2,784

$2.15 MX$37.20

-5.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 ₦3,470

$2.26 MX$39.02

12.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ₦775

$1.39 MX$23.97

-58.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₦428

$1.12 MX$19.31

-72.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 ₦3,438

$4.22 MX$73.0

-40.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.74 ₦7,824

$17.51 MX$303

-67.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₦1,438

$1.71 MX$29.58

-38.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ₦1,983

$3.63 MX$62.8

-60.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 ₦932

$0.35 MX$6.10

94.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ₦1,171

$1.38 MX$23.80

-37.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ₦1,417

$0.28 MX$4.77

271.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 ₦5,821

$5.28 MX$91.3

-19.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 ₦1,131

$1.36 MX$23.50

-38.97%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

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

$30.33 ₦41.4K

$40.53 MX$701

-25.17%

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

$11.03 ₦15.1K

$27.38 MX$474

-59.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.89 ₦57.2K

$30.38 MX$526

37.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.38 ₦61.9K

$52.2 MX$903

-13.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.65 ₦14.5K

$26.48 MX$458

-59.78%

Cinema Ticket

$8.22 ₦11.2K

$6.19 MX$107

32.79%

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

$133 ₦181.8K

$425 MX$7,355

-68.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,974 ₦2.7M

$10.7K MX$185.7K

-81.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.26 ₦41.3K

$58.3 MX$1,009

-48.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.11 ₦39.7K

$44.57 MX$771

-34.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.6 ₦92.2K

$103 MX$1,791

-34.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 ₦118.5K

$109 MX$1,881

-20.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 ₦3.3M

$1,014 MX$17.5K

141.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 ₦1.6M

$623 MX$10.8K

85.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,503 ₦7.5M

$2,119 MX$36.7K

159.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,717 ₦3.7M

$1,223 MX$21.2K

122.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$700 ₦955.1K

$3,792 MX$65.6K

-81.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$366 ₦499.0K

$2,110 MX$36.5K

-82.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 ₦228.1K

$1,052 MX$18.2K

-84.11%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,445 in Abuja and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 529% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $293 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 12% in total monthly costs ($1,650 vs $1,472 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 529% 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: $2,445 in Abuja versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $133 in Abuja versus $425 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 $54.0 versus $45.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,650 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 12% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.