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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $946 in Cotonou versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,477 in Cotonou versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,009 in Cotonou versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 43% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cotonou is 31% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 F CFA 3,052

$11.92 MX$206

-55.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.50 F CFA 20.9K

$51.6 MX$890

-29.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 F CFA 5,668

$11.41 MX$197

-13.06%

Cappuccino

$5.12 F CFA 2,927

$3.99 MX$68.9

28.32%

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

$1.05 F CFA 599

$1.66 MX$28.61

-36.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 F CFA 519

$1.33 MX$22.87

-31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 F CFA 491

$3.47 MX$59.9

-75.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 F CFA 1,538

$5.90 MX$102

-54.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.17 F CFA 1,814

$1.88 MX$32.36

68.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 F CFA 731

$3.25 MX$56.1

-60.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 F CFA 1,074

$2.16 MX$37.26

-12.96%

Eggs

$2.81 F CFA 1,605

$2.90 MX$49.94

-3.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.66 F CFA 5,522

$12.86 MX$222

-24.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.66 F CFA 3,232

$10.05 MX$173

-43.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.19 F CFA 2,963

$15.86 MX$273

-67.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 F CFA 2,466

$3.29 MX$56.8

31.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 F CFA 1,105

$2.01 MX$34.60

-3.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 764

$2.20 MX$37.93

-39.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 F CFA 1,590

$2.36 MX$40.63

17.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 F CFA 741

$2.05 MX$35.43

-36.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 F CFA 1,031

$1.90 MX$32.79

-5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 F CFA 257

$1.61 MX$27.68

-72.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 F CFA 663

$1.40 MX$24.09

-17.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 F CFA 1,963

$5.46 MX$94.2

-37.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.29 F CFA 2,451

$17.65 MX$304

-75.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 F CFA 695

$2.06 MX$35.44

-40.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 F CFA 1,079

$4.68 MX$80.8

-59.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 F CFA 776

$0.34 MX$5.84

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 F CFA 788

$2.10 MX$36.15

-34.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 F CFA 821

$0.56 MX$9.64

157.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 F CFA 701

$1.61 MX$27.68

-23.60%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

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

$25.1K F CFA 14.3M

$26.8K MX$461.2K

-6.21%

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

$151 F CFA 86.1K

$65.2 MX$1,124

131.04%

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

$35.44 F CFA 20.2K

$30.09 MX$519

17.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.28 F CFA 28.2K

$37.18 MX$641

32.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.48 F CFA 28.3K

$59.8 MX$1,030

-17.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.54 F CFA 2,025

$26.55 MX$458

-86.67%

Cinema Ticket

$8.86 F CFA 5,061

$7.04 MX$121

25.85%

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

$137 F CFA 78.0K

$465 MX$8,012

-70.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,660 F CFA 3.2M

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-57.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.92 F CFA 14.8K

$75.9 MX$1,308

-65.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.87 F CFA 19.9K

$112 MX$1,929

-68.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 F CFA 40.3K

$121 MX$2,078

-41.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$182 F CFA 103.9K

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-83.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 F CFA 99.8K

$721 MX$12.4K

-75.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 F CFA 351.0K

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-75.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 F CFA 245.2K

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-66.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$261 F CFA 149.2K

$1,037 MX$17.9K

-74.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

-64.60%

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

Last update for Cotonou: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $182 in Cotonou and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 297% 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: $37.00 in Cotonou vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $345 per month, with Cotonou 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

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

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 297% 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: $182 in Cotonou versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $946 per month in Cotonou versus $1,660 in Mexico City – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $946 in Cotonou versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cotonou but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Cotonou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cotonou is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cotonou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.