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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $915 in Bamako versus $1,481 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Bamako versus $2,352 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,087 in Bamako versus $3,222 in Mexico City.

Living in Bamako costs roughly 38% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bamako is 32% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.52 F CFA 3,756

$13.16 MX$230

-50.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.86 F CFA 21.8K

$53.6 MX$936

-29.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.38 F CFA 3,676

$9.55 MX$167

-33.19%

Cappuccino

$1.86 F CFA 1,071

$3.72 MX$65.0

-50.00%

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

$0.74 F CFA 429

$1.57 MX$27.39

-52.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 F CFA 326

$1.16 MX$20.20

-50.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 F CFA 1,398

$3.18 MX$55.7

-23.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$20.98 F CFA 12.1K

$4.63 MX$81.0

353.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 F CFA 1,310

$1.71 MX$29.80

32.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.92 F CFA 2,259

$2.62 MX$45.73

49.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$33.01

Eggs

$6.79 F CFA 3,914

$2.60 MX$45.36

161.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.61 F CFA 10.1K

$9.91 MX$173

77.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.62 F CFA 9,006

$8.22 MX$144

90.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 F CFA 7,164

$11.78 MX$206

5.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 F CFA 2,275

$3.00 MX$52.4

31.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 F CFA 589

$1.80 MX$31.45

-43.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 F CFA 1,640

$2.07 MX$36.24

37.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 F CFA 1,246

$1.97 MX$34.37

9.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 F CFA 777

$2.07 MX$36.21

-34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 788

$2.17 MX$38.00

-36.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.11 F CFA 65.7

$1.40 MX$24.52

-92.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 F CFA 1,571

$1.07 MX$18.78

154.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.97 F CFA 557

$4.12 MX$72.0

-76.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MX$304

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 F CFA 890

$1.68 MX$29.28

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 F CFA 958

$3.65 MX$63.8

-54.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 F CFA 2,746

$0.38 MX$6.64

1152.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.23

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 F CFA 703

$0.30 MX$5.30

306.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 MX$96.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 F CFA 662

$1.31 MX$22.81

-12.21%

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

$19.2K MX$334.9K

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

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

$150 F CFA 86.2K

$41.14 MX$719

263.61%

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

$27.74 MX$485

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 F CFA 33.2K

$30.13 MX$527

91.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.9 F CFA 39.2K

$53.7 MX$939

26.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.99 F CFA 2,298

$25.98 MX$454

-84.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 F CFA 3,308

$6.49 MX$113

-11.56%

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

$437 MX$7,630

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,019

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 MX$801

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,773

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,862

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$175 F CFA 100.7K

$1,005 MX$17.6K

-82.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.4 F CFA 45.8K

$634 MX$11.1K

-87.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 F CFA 233.3K

$2,148 MX$37.5K

-81.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 F CFA 170.2K

$1,247 MX$21.8K

-76.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,244 F CFA 717.2K

$2,085 MX$36.4K

-40.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$264 F CFA 152.5K

$1,072 MX$18.7K

-75.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Bamako: July 19, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $175 in Bamako and $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 305% 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: $38.00 in Bamako vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $356 vs $291, 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

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

Bamako wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bamako the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 305% 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: $175 in Bamako versus $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $915 per month in Bamako versus $1,481 in Mexico City – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Mexico City pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $915 in Bamako versus $1,481 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bamako but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Bamako the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bamako delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $915 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bamako hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Bamako gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.