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: $1,289 in Addis Ababa versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,927 in Addis Ababa versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,564 in Addis Ababa versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Addis Ababa costs roughly 22% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Addis Ababa is 6% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ETB 646

$11.92 MX$206

-66.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ETB 6,928

$51.6 MX$890

-16.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 ETB 1,067

$11.41 MX$197

-41.81%

Cappuccino

$0.95 ETB 153

$3.99 MX$68.9

-76.19%

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

$0.59 ETB 94.5

$1.66 MX$28.61

-64.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 103

$1.33 MX$22.87

-51.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 ETB 130

$3.47 MX$59.9

-76.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ETB 368

$5.90 MX$102

-61.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 ETB 175

$1.88 MX$32.36

-42.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ETB 194

$3.25 MX$56.1

-62.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ETB 354

$2.16 MX$37.26

1.85%

Eggs

$1.81 ETB 291

$2.90 MX$49.94

-37.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 ETB 1,216

$12.86 MX$222

-41.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.15 ETB 1,630

$10.05 MX$173

1.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.29 ETB 1,493

$15.86 MX$273

-41.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.48 ETB 881

$3.29 MX$56.8

66.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 102

$2.01 MX$34.60

-68.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ETB 355

$2.20 MX$37.93

0.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 ETB 111

$2.36 MX$40.63

-70.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ETB 80.2

$2.05 MX$35.43

-75.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ETB 170

$1.90 MX$32.79

-44.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ETB 103

$1.61 MX$27.68

-60.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ETB 98.3

$1.40 MX$24.09

-56.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 ETB 1,314

$5.46 MX$94.2

49.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.64 ETB 905

$17.65 MX$304

-68.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ETB 116

$2.06 MX$35.44

-65.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 ETB 196

$4.68 MX$80.8

-73.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ETB 82.9

$0.34 MX$5.84

52.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.71 ETB 3,326

$20.81 MX$359

-0.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 ETB 209

$2.10 MX$36.15

-38.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 43.30

$0.56 MX$9.64

-51.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ETB 314

$5.81 MX$100

-66.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ETB 145

$1.61 MX$27.68

-44.10%

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

$54.1K ETB 8.7M

$22.8K MX$393.8K

136.71%

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

$55.2K ETB 8.9M

$26.8K MX$461.2K

106.20%

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

$202 ETB 32.5K

$65.2 MX$1,124

210.59%

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

$7.10 ETB 1,140

$30.09 MX$519

-76.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$208 ETB 33.4K

$37.18 MX$641

459.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 ETB 7,191

$59.8 MX$1,030

-25.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.56 ETB 5,874

$26.55 MX$458

37.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.66 ETB 588

$7.04 MX$121

-48.01%

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

$139 ETB 22.3K

$465 MX$8,012

-70.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K ETB 4.9M

$13.3K MX$228.9K

130.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.99 ETB 5,300

$75.9 MX$1,308

-56.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.9 ETB 11.2K

$56.0 MX$965

24.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 ETB 12.6K

$112 MX$1,929

-29.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ETB 13.2K

$121 MX$2,078

-31.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$694 ETB 111.5K

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-37.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ETB 63.2K

$721 MX$12.4K

-45.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,237 ETB 359.4K

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-11.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ETB 123.8K

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-40.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,990 ETB 319.7K

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-50.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,023 ETB 164.3K

$2,090 MX$36.0K

-51.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$206 ETB 33.1K

$1,037 MX$17.9K

-80.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

11.3

63.72%

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

Last update for Addis Ababa: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $694 in Addis Ababa and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 403% 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: $43.00 in Addis Ababa vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $345 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 29% in total monthly costs ($1,289 vs $1,660 including rent). Addis Ababa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 403% 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: $694 in Addis Ababa versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,289 per month in Addis Ababa versus $1,660 in Mexico City – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Addis Ababa runs roughly 0% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,289 in Addis Ababa versus $1,660 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 29% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.