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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Asmara versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,178 in Asmara versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,884 in Asmara versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Asmara is roughly 1% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Asmara 10% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.50 ERN 188

$13.07 MX$228

-4.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.48 ERN 443

$53.8 MX$936

-45.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 ERN 88.0

$9.68 MX$169

-39.46%

Cappuccino

$0.80 ERN 12.03

$3.74 MX$65.1

-78.61%

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

$1.88 ERN 28.22

$1.62 MX$28.13

16.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 ERN 20.18

$1.16 MX$20.23

15.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ERN 15.41

$3.23 MX$56.2

-68.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ERN 29.89

$4.74 MX$82.5

-58.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ERN 24.95

$1.65 MX$28.68

0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ERN 7.23

$2.75 MX$47.95

-82.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 ERN 29.60

$1.87 MX$32.63

5.35%

Eggs

$4.47 ERN 67.2

$2.50 MX$43.54

78.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.06 ERN 46.03

$10.20 MX$178

-70.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.59 ERN 400

$8.25 MX$144

222.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 ERN 151

$11.82 MX$206

-15.06%

Apples (1kg)

$12.00 ERN 180

$3.01 MX$52.4

298.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ERN 18.83

$1.81 MX$31.54

-30.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ERN 29.19

$2.00 MX$34.81

-3.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 ERN 18.81

$2.00 MX$34.74

-37.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 ERN 26.22

$2.08 MX$36.30

-16.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ERN 16.46

$2.27 MX$39.56

-51.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ERN 9.91

$1.46 MX$25.36

-54.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 ERN 32.98

$1.08 MX$18.74

102.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.01 ERN 30.28

$4.35 MX$75.7

-53.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.69 ERN 341

$16.99 MX$296

33.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ERN 15.26

$1.73 MX$30.18

-41.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 ERN 18.09

$3.58 MX$62.3

-66.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 ERN 2.10

$0.39 MX$6.74

-64.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.78 ERN 117

$18.69 MX$325

-58.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 ERN 10.39

$1.33 MX$23.08

-48.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ERN 9.75

$0.28 MX$4.87

132.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ERN 122

$5.25 MX$91.5

54.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 ERN 32.93

$1.34 MX$23.27

63.43%

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

$65.5K ERN 984.5K

$19.4K MX$338.0K

237.44%

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

$70.5K ERN 1.1M

$23.8K MX$415.0K

195.78%

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

$27.41 ERN 412

$40.69 MX$709

-32.64%

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

$67.3 ERN 1,012

$26.87 MX$468

150.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$196 ERN 2,953

$30.51 MX$531

543.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.92 ERN 405

$52.8 MX$919

-49.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.69 ERN 116

$26.65 MX$464

-71.14%

Cinema Ticket

$1.07 ERN 16.06

$6.51 MX$113

-83.56%

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

$24.81 ERN 373

$428 MX$7,454

-94.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,664 ERN 25.0K

$10.5K MX$182.8K

-84.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 ERN 1,255

$57.3 MX$997

45.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.8 ERN 1,139

$45.50 MX$792

66.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$197 ERN 2,956

$104 MX$1,812

88.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.1 ERN 1,414

$108 MX$1,878

-12.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ERN 7,156

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-52.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 ERN 5,980

$623 MX$10.8K

-36.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ERN 11.0K

$2,109 MX$36.7K

-65.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 ERN 9,729

$1,218 MX$21.2K

-46.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,230 ERN 33.5K

$3,885 MX$67.6K

-42.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,233 ERN 33.6K

$2,033 MX$35.4K

9.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$997 ERN 15.0K

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-3.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.82%

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

Last update for Asmara: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Asmara and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Asmara vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $390 vs $292, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Asmara and Mexico City differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $1,456 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 4% 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: $476 in Asmara versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 140% less than in Asmara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $24.81 in Asmara versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,472 in Asmara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Asmara. 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.

Safety-wise, Asmara and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Asmara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.