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: $1,383 in Addis Ababa versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,083 in Addis Ababa versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,783 in Addis Ababa versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Addis Ababa costs roughly 6% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Addis Ababa 3% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ETB 718

$13.18 MX$228

-65.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 ETB 5,522

$53.9 MX$932

-34.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.41 ETB 1,010

$9.42 MX$163

-31.95%

Cappuccino

$1.24 ETB 196

$3.55 MX$61.4

-65.07%

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

$0.69 ETB 109

$1.62 MX$27.98

-57.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 67.7

$1.11 MX$19.27

-61.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ETB 156

$3.12 MX$54.0

-68.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ETB 468

$4.63 MX$80.1

-35.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ETB 228

$1.70 MX$29.43

-15.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ETB 210

$2.72 MX$47.02

-51.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ETB 343

$1.91 MX$33.07

13.61%

Eggs

$2.43 ETB 383

$2.54 MX$43.86

-4.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 ETB 1,148

$10.03 MX$174

-27.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.73 ETB 2,164

$8.09 MX$140

69.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 ETB 2,063

$11.62 MX$201

12.65%

Apples (1kg)

$6.68 ETB 1,053

$2.97 MX$51.3

124.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 154

$1.81 MX$31.24

-45.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ETB 345

$2.01 MX$34.82

8.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 ETB 157

$2.03 MX$35.20

-51.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ETB 107

$2.12 MX$36.75

-67.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ETB 286

$2.27 MX$39.25

-20.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ETB 108

$1.40 MX$24.22

-51.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 101

$1.13 MX$19.55

-43.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 ETB 633

$4.27 MX$73.9

-5.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 ETB 909

$15.56 MX$269

-62.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ETB 156

$1.76 MX$30.39

-43.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ETB 298

$3.60 MX$62.2

-47.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ETB 67.9

$0.38 MX$6.62

13.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.21 ETB 1,925

$19.18 MX$332

-36.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ETB 234

$1.38 MX$23.79

7.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.16

$0.28 MX$4.78

-3.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ETB 323

$5.45 MX$94.2

-62.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ETB 195

$1.30 MX$22.55

-4.62%

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

$55.4K ETB 8.7M

$18.7K MX$323.2K

196.62%

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

$54.0K ETB 8.5M

$23.1K MX$400.1K

133.50%

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

$157 ETB 24.8K

$40.86 MX$707

284.61%

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

$12.11 ETB 1,908

$26.81 MX$464

-54.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 ETB 20.3K

$29.96 MX$518

329.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.5 ETB 11.0K

$52.0 MX$900

33.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.71 ETB 5,786

$26.84 MX$464

36.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 ETB 923

$6.30 MX$109

-6.98%

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

$81.1 ETB 12.8K

$436 MX$7,544

-81.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.1K ETB 6.5M

$10.4K MX$180.2K

294.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.81 ETB 7,377

$56.7 MX$980

-17.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.1 ETB 11.7K

$44.38 MX$768

66.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 ETB 14.7K

$103 MX$1,780

-9.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ETB 18.2K

$106 MX$1,825

9.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 ETB 119.5K

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-25.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 ETB 78.0K

$631 MX$10.9K

-21.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 ETB 286.7K

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-14.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 ETB 140.2K

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-28.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,981 ETB 312.2K

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-49.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,009 ETB 159.0K

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-51.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$206 ETB 32.5K

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-81.49%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $758 in Addis Ababa and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 440% 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: $35.00 in Addis Ababa vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $265 vs $288 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 6% in total monthly costs ($1,383 vs $1,467 including rent). Addis Ababa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 440% 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: $758 in Addis Ababa versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,383 per month in Addis Ababa versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Addis Ababa runs roughly 57% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,383 in Addis Ababa versus $1,467 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 6% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.