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: $963 in Cotonou versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Cotonou versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Cotonou versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Cotonou costs roughly 33% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cotonou is 28% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 F CFA 2,029

$12.98 MX$223

-72.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.52 F CFA 15.0K

$52.6 MX$903

-49.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 F CFA 3,000

$9.43 MX$162

-43.69%

Cappuccino

$5.58 F CFA 3,150

$3.57 MX$61.3

56.30%

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

$0.92 F CFA 522

$1.61 MX$27.55

-42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 F CFA 436

$1.15 MX$19.81

-33.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 F CFA 811

$3.15 MX$54.0

-54.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 F CFA 1,975

$4.86 MX$83.4

-27.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.60 F CFA 1,469

$1.70 MX$29.17

52.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 F CFA 805

$2.64 MX$45.23

-45.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,084

$1.90 MX$32.67

1.05%

Eggs

$2.27 F CFA 1,282

$2.54 MX$43.62

-10.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 F CFA 5,249

$10.08 MX$173

-7.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 F CFA 2,864

$8.29 MX$142

-38.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 F CFA 2,875

$11.57 MX$199

-56.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 F CFA 2,271

$3.03 MX$52.0

32.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 F CFA 810

$1.71 MX$29.35

-16.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 F CFA 711

$2.05 MX$35.16

-38.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 F CFA 998

$2.06 MX$35.36

-14.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 F CFA 763

$2.06 MX$35.43

-34.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 F CFA 808

$2.17 MX$37.25

-34.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 F CFA 294

$1.40 MX$24.08

-62.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 F CFA 724

$1.12 MX$19.26

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 F CFA 1,309

$4.29 MX$73.7

-45.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.34 F CFA 2,454

$15.41 MX$265

-71.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 F CFA 669

$1.67 MX$28.74

-29.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 F CFA 1,248

$3.69 MX$63.3

-40.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 F CFA 971

$0.38 MX$6.55

352.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 F CFA 811

$1.38 MX$23.70

4.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 F CFA 734

$0.28 MX$4.74

364.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 F CFA 978

$5.42 MX$92.9

-68.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 F CFA 624

$1.28 MX$21.98

-14.06%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

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

$24.8K F CFA 14.0M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

5.82%

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

$261 F CFA 147.7K

$41.02 MX$704

537.47%

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

$44.50 F CFA 25.1K

$26.92 MX$462

65.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 F CFA 32.4K

$29.69 MX$510

92.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 F CFA 34.2K

$52.3 MX$898

15.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.37 F CFA 3,035

$26.23 MX$450

-79.53%

Cinema Ticket

$7.37 F CFA 4,162

$6.18 MX$106

19.26%

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

$189 F CFA 106.9K

$427 MX$7,331

-55.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,558 F CFA 3.7M

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-38.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.48 F CFA 9,870

$56.8 MX$975

-69.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.70 F CFA 4,912

$44.83 MX$769

-80.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$9.04 F CFA 5,106

$105 MX$1,794

-91.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.05 F CFA 27.1K

$106 MX$1,819

-54.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 F CFA 113.5K

$995 MX$17.1K

-79.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 F CFA 83.0K

$621 MX$10.7K

-76.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 F CFA 334.5K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-72.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 F CFA 161.4K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-77.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Cotonou and $995 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 $212 vs $288 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 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,445 in Cotonou and $2,171 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: $201 in Cotonou versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $963 per month in Cotonou versus $1,447 in Mexico City – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $963 in Cotonou versus $1,447 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 50% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.