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: $997 in Cotonou versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,426 in Cotonou versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,854 in Cotonou versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 32% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cotonou is 25% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 F CFA 1,967

$13.14 MX$227

-73.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.77 F CFA 15.2K

$53.5 MX$926

-49.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 F CFA 2,927

$9.33 MX$161

-44.69%

Cappuccino

$5.56 F CFA 3,154

$3.70 MX$64.0

50.27%

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

$0.86 F CFA 488

$1.60 MX$27.76

-46.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 F CFA 446

$1.12 MX$19.34

-29.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 F CFA 794

$3.14 MX$54.3

-55.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 F CFA 2,047

$4.85 MX$83.9

-25.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 F CFA 1,462

$1.65 MX$28.61

56.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 F CFA 815

$2.71 MX$46.96

-46.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,092

$1.91 MX$33.03

0.52%

Eggs

$2.22 F CFA 1,263

$2.59 MX$44.81

-14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 F CFA 5,253

$9.81 MX$170

-5.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 F CFA 2,869

$8.43 MX$146

-40.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.16 F CFA 2,929

$11.93 MX$206

-56.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 F CFA 2,202

$2.95 MX$51.1

31.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 779

$1.74 MX$30.10

-21.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 F CFA 689

$2.04 MX$35.38

-40.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 F CFA 988

$2.06 MX$35.64

-15.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 761

$2.15 MX$37.20

-37.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 F CFA 853

$2.26 MX$39.02

-33.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 F CFA 291

$1.39 MX$23.97

-63.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 F CFA 700

$1.12 MX$19.31

9.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 F CFA 1,332

$4.22 MX$73.0

-44.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.28 F CFA 2,430

$17.51 MX$303

-75.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 F CFA 681

$1.71 MX$29.58

-29.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 F CFA 1,301

$3.63 MX$62.8

-36.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 F CFA 1,023

$0.35 MX$6.10

414.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 F CFA 784

$1.38 MX$23.80

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 F CFA 707

$0.28 MX$4.77

346.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 F CFA 988

$5.28 MX$91.3

-67.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 F CFA 631

$1.36 MX$23.50

-18.38%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

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

$24.9K F CFA 14.1M

$23.6K MX$408.4K

5.38%

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

$266 F CFA 151.1K

$40.53 MX$701

556.77%

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

$43.54 F CFA 24.7K

$27.38 MX$474

59.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 F CFA 31.8K

$30.38 MX$526

84.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 F CFA 33.4K

$52.2 MX$903

12.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.40 F CFA 3,066

$26.48 MX$458

-79.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 F CFA 4,266

$6.19 MX$107

21.32%

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

$185 F CFA 104.8K

$425 MX$7,355

-56.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,379 F CFA 3.6M

$10.7K MX$185.7K

-40.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.45 F CFA 9,907

$58.3 MX$1,009

-70.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.70 F CFA 4,939

$44.57 MX$771

-80.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.04 F CFA 5,134

$103 MX$1,791

-91.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.16 F CFA 27.9K

$109 MX$1,881

-54.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 F CFA 113.0K

$1,014 MX$17.5K

-80.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 F CFA 84.6K

$623 MX$10.8K

-76.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 F CFA 324.3K

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-73.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 F CFA 160.6K

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-76.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$171 F CFA 97.3K

$1,052 MX$18.2K

-83.72%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $199 in Cotonou and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 514% 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: $27.00 in Cotonou vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $293 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 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 514% 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: $199 in Cotonou versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $997 per month in Cotonou versus $1,472 in Mexico City – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $997 in Cotonou versus $1,472 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 48% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.