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: $1,400 in Asmara versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,194 in Asmara versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Asmara versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Asmara costs roughly 15% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Asmara 2% above, Mexico City 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.28 ERN 320

$12.11 MX$205

75.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.91 ERN 510

$52.2 MX$883

-35.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 ERN 92.6

$10.90 MX$184

-43.58%

Cappuccino

$0.83 ERN 12.46

$4.05 MX$68.5

-79.51%

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

$0.98 ERN 14.80

$1.72 MX$28.99

-43.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 ERN 14.88

$1.38 MX$23.28

-28.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.58 ERN 8.78

$3.47 MX$58.6

-83.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ERN 23.85

$1.85 MX$31.32

-14.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 ERN 35.61

$2.09 MX$35.24

13.40%

Eggs

$4.26 ERN 64.1

$2.91 MX$49.16

46.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.93 ERN 44.08

$12.49 MX$211

-76.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.34 ERN 411

$10.11 MX$171

170.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.91 ERN 149

$15.89 MX$269

-37.63%

Apples (1kg)

$12.25 ERN 184

$3.31 MX$56.0

270.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ERN 18.80

$2.13 MX$35.94

-41.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ERN 29.69

$2.19 MX$37.02

-10.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ERN 17.13

$2.45 MX$41.36

-53.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 ERN 27.79

$2.19 MX$36.99

-15.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ERN 13.63

$1.90 MX$32.19

-52.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.30

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 ERN 34.24

$1.35 MX$22.81

68.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

Wine (Bottle)

$12.11 ERN 182

$17.59 MX$297

-31.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ERN 15.38

$2.07 MX$34.95

-50.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 ERN 14.79

$4.75 MX$80.2

-79.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.11 ERN 1.67

$0.34 MX$5.74

-67.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.82 ERN 118

$21.58 MX$365

-63.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.48

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 ERN 8.83

$0.58 MX$9.77

1.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 ERN 150

$5.97 MX$101

67.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.52 ERN 37.99

$1.62 MX$27.30

55.56%

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

$66.8K ERN 1.0M

$22.8K MX$385.5K

192.77%

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

$70.8K ERN 1.1M

$26.7K MX$450.6K

165.67%

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

$25.04 ERN 377

$65.2 MX$1,102

-61.62%

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

$69.0 ERN 1,038

$29.87 MX$505

131.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$198 ERN 2,978

$36.55 MX$618

441.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.53 ERN 399

$61.0 MX$1,031

-56.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.90 ERN 73.7

$26.70 MX$451

-81.65%

Cinema Ticket

$1.22 ERN 18.30

$6.85 MX$116

-82.19%

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

$25.05 ERN 377

$453 MX$7,662

-94.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,644 ERN 39.8K

$13.4K MX$226.0K

-80.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$135 ERN 2,037

$75.0 MX$1,267

80.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$118 ERN 1,772

$55.3 MX$934

113.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$202 ERN 3,037

$114 MX$1,920

77.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 ERN 2,270

$123 MX$2,073

22.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$249 ERN 3,743

$1,134 MX$19.2K

-78.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 ERN 3,006

$712 MX$12.0K

-71.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ERN 6,698

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-82.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 ERN 6,297

$1,311 MX$22.2K

-68.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,271 ERN 19.1K

$3,993 MX$67.5K

-68.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,529 ERN 38.1K

$2,095 MX$35.4K

20.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.19%

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

Last update for Asmara: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $249 in Asmara and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Asmara vs $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $366 vs $345, 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 18% in total monthly costs ($1,400 vs $1,646 including rent). Asmara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,100 in Asmara and $2,469 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $249 in Asmara versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Asmara runs roughly 176% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $25.05 in Asmara versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,400 in Asmara versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Asmara but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Asmara 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 Asmara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.