Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,429 in Addis Ababa versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,079 in Addis Ababa versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,730 in Addis Ababa versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Addis Ababa costs roughly 2% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Addis Ababa 7% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.44 ETB 704

$13.07 MX$229

-66.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.55 ETB 5,634

$53.8 MX$940

-33.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 ETB 1,058

$9.68 MX$169

-31.10%

Cappuccino

$1.30 ETB 206

$3.74 MX$65.4

-65.24%

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

$0.63 ETB 100

$1.62 MX$28.25

-61.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 68.4

$1.16 MX$20.31

-62.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ETB 154

$3.23 MX$56.4

-69.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ETB 465

$4.74 MX$82.9

-38.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 ETB 231

$1.65 MX$28.80

-11.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ETB 211

$2.75 MX$48.15

-51.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ETB 341

$1.87 MX$32.77

14.97%

Eggs

$2.40 ETB 380

$2.50 MX$43.72

-4.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.12 ETB 1,128

$10.20 MX$178

-30.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.71 ETB 2,173

$8.25 MX$144

66.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 ETB 2,071

$11.82 MX$207

10.58%

Apples (1kg)

$6.66 ETB 1,055

$3.01 MX$52.6

121.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ETB 165

$1.81 MX$31.67

-42.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ETB 348

$2.00 MX$34.96

9.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 155

$2.00 MX$34.89

-51.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 99.9

$2.08 MX$36.45

-69.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ETB 303

$2.27 MX$39.72

-15.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ETB 105

$1.46 MX$25.47

-54.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ETB 108

$1.08 MX$18.82

-37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ETB 629

$4.35 MX$76.0

-8.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 ETB 901

$16.99 MX$297

-66.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ETB 164

$1.73 MX$30.31

-39.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ETB 290

$3.58 MX$62.5

-48.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ETB 69.8

$0.39 MX$6.77

12.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.19 ETB 1,932

$18.69 MX$327

-34.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ETB 226

$1.33 MX$23.18

7.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.37

$0.28 MX$4.89

3.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 ETB 323

$5.25 MX$91.8

-61.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ETB 198

$1.34 MX$23.37

-6.72%

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

$55.6K ETB 8.8M

$19.4K MX$339.4K

186.43%

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

$54.3K ETB 8.6M

$23.8K MX$416.7K

127.89%

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

$163 ETB 25.8K

$40.69 MX$712

299.56%

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

$12.23 ETB 1,938

$26.87 MX$470

-54.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 ETB 20.5K

$30.51 MX$534

323.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 ETB 11.0K

$52.8 MX$923

31.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.29 ETB 5,752

$26.65 MX$466

36.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.82 ETB 923

$6.51 MX$114

-10.60%

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

$80.5 ETB 12.8K

$428 MX$7,485

-81.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.0K ETB 6.3M

$10.5K MX$183.6K

280.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ETB 7,568

$57.3 MX$1,001

-16.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.4 ETB 11.8K

$45.50 MX$796

63.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 ETB 14.5K

$104 MX$1,819

-12.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ETB 18.4K

$108 MX$1,885

7.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ETB 116.0K

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-27.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ETB 81.1K

$623 MX$10.9K

-17.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 ETB 287.9K

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-13.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 ETB 140.3K

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-27.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,969 ETB 312.1K

$3,885 MX$67.9K

-49.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$992 ETB 157.2K

$2,033 MX$35.5K

-51.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 ETB 31.7K

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-80.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

49.91%

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

Last update for Addis Ababa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Addis Ababa and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 418% 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: $36.00 in Addis Ababa vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $265 vs $292 per month, with Addis Ababa 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

Addis Ababa vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Addis Ababa and Mexico City differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,429 vs $1,456 including rent). Addis Ababa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 418% 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: $732 in Addis Ababa versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,429 per month in Addis Ababa versus $1,456 in Mexico City – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Addis Ababa runs roughly 53% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,429 in Addis Ababa versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Addis Ababa but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Addis Ababa 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 Addis Ababa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.