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: $978 in Cotonou versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,407 in Cotonou versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Cotonou versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 34% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cotonou is 27% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 F CFA 1,948

$12.98 MX$227

-73.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.93 F CFA 15.1K

$53.1 MX$929

-49.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.24 F CFA 2,940

$9.72 MX$170

-46.09%

Cappuccino

$5.52 F CFA 3,097

$3.75 MX$65.6

47.20%

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

$0.86 F CFA 483

$1.57 MX$27.46

-45.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 F CFA 435

$1.13 MX$19.76

-30.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 F CFA 814

$3.18 MX$55.7

-54.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 F CFA 1,956

$4.66 MX$81.6

-25.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 F CFA 1,486

$1.62 MX$28.37

63.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 F CFA 774

$2.71 MX$47.36

-49.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 F CFA 1,037

$1.88 MX$32.89

-1.60%

Eggs

$2.18 F CFA 1,221

$2.51 MX$43.90

-13.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 F CFA 5,179

$10.08 MX$176

-8.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 F CFA 2,763

$8.29 MX$145

-40.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.13 F CFA 2,877

$11.94 MX$209

-57.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 F CFA 2,183

$2.86 MX$50.1

36.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 771

$1.75 MX$30.62

-21.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 F CFA 710

$2.08 MX$36.48

-38.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 F CFA 991

$1.97 MX$34.46

-10.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 F CFA 789

$2.16 MX$37.79

-34.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 F CFA 811

$2.18 MX$38.16

-33.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 F CFA 267

$1.39 MX$24.34

-65.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 F CFA 718

$1.12 MX$19.69

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 F CFA 1,309

$4.20 MX$73.5

-44.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.52 F CFA 3,659

$14.25 MX$249

-54.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 F CFA 698

$1.76 MX$30.85

-29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 F CFA 1,281

$3.68 MX$64.5

-38.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 F CFA 1,012

$0.39 MX$6.74

361.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 F CFA 810

$1.39 MX$24.26

3.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 F CFA 705

$0.30 MX$5.32

320.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 F CFA 1,005

$5.42 MX$94.9

-66.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 F CFA 595

$1.35 MX$23.63

-21.48%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

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

$24.3K F CFA 13.6M

$23.2K MX$405.2K

4.91%

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

$269 F CFA 150.9K

$40.82 MX$714

559.19%

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

$44.80 F CFA 25.1K

$27.50 MX$481

62.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 F CFA 31.1K

$30.38 MX$532

82.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 F CFA 33.0K

$53.4 MX$935

10.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.44 F CFA 3,051

$26.30 MX$460

-79.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.53 F CFA 4,221

$6.27 MX$110

20.10%

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

$189 F CFA 106.1K

$436 MX$7,632

-56.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,522 F CFA 3.7M

$10.5K MX$183.2K

-37.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.58 F CFA 9,863

$56.8 MX$993

-69.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.64 F CFA 4,846

$44.79 MX$784

-80.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.04 F CFA 5,070

$103 MX$1,799

-91.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.26 F CFA 27.6K

$108 MX$1,888

-54.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 F CFA 113.3K

$1,000 MX$17.5K

-79.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 F CFA 83.6K

$620 MX$10.9K

-75.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 F CFA 323.7K

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-72.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 F CFA 159.7K

$1,235 MX$21.6K

-76.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-55.91%

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

Last update for Cotonou: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $202 in Cotonou and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Cotonou vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $286 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, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,467 in Cotonou and $2,225 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: $202 in Cotonou versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $978 per month in Cotonou versus $1,484 in Mexico City – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $978 in Cotonou versus $1,484 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 52% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.