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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,318 in Dakar versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,218 in Dakar versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,117 in Dakar versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Dakar costs roughly 10% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dakar is 1% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 F CFA 3,114

$13.07 MX$229

-58.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 F CFA 29.9K

$53.8 MX$943

-2.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 F CFA 5,849

$9.68 MX$170

5.37%

Cappuccino

$4.37 F CFA 2,509

$3.74 MX$65.6

16.84%

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

$0.89 F CFA 511

$1.62 MX$28.34

-45.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 F CFA 620

$1.16 MX$20.37

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 F CFA 1,551

$3.23 MX$56.6

-16.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 F CFA 2,584

$4.74 MX$83.1

-4.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 F CFA 1,474

$1.65 MX$28.89

55.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 F CFA 385

$2.75 MX$48.30

-75.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 F CFA 927

$1.87 MX$32.87

-13.37%

Eggs

$2.76 F CFA 1,582

$2.50 MX$43.86

10.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 F CFA 7,271

$10.20 MX$179

24.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 F CFA 5,416

$8.25 MX$145

14.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 F CFA 6,088

$11.82 MX$207

-10.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 F CFA 1,603

$3.01 MX$52.8

-6.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 F CFA 1,137

$1.81 MX$31.77

9.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 F CFA 1,481

$2.00 MX$35.07

29.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 F CFA 1,227

$2.00 MX$35.00

7.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 F CFA 882

$2.08 MX$36.56

-25.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 771

$2.27 MX$39.85

-40.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 F CFA 614

$1.46 MX$25.55

-26.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 F CFA 468

$1.08 MX$18.88

-24.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.55 F CFA 892

$4.35 MX$76.3

-64.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.02 F CFA 9,762

$16.99 MX$298

0.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 F CFA 648

$1.73 MX$30.40

-34.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 F CFA 1,282

$3.58 MX$62.7

-37.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 F CFA 208

$0.39 MX$6.79

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.0 F CFA 45.3K

$18.69 MX$328

322.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 F CFA 1,478

$1.33 MX$23.25

93.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.80 F CFA 1,607

$0.28 MX$4.91

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.55 F CFA 10.1K

$5.25 MX$92.1

234.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 F CFA 1,021

$1.34 MX$23.44

32.84%

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

$36.9K F CFA 21.2M

$19.4K MX$340.5K

90.02%

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

$50.1K F CFA 28.7M

$23.8K MX$418.0K

110.09%

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

$140 F CFA 80.1K

$40.69 MX$714

243.18%

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

$9.57 F CFA 5,488

$26.87 MX$471

-64.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.00 F CFA 28.1K

$30.51 MX$535

60.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 F CFA 31.8K

$52.8 MX$926

5.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.51 F CFA 12.3K

$26.65 MX$467

-19.29%

Cinema Ticket

$8.75 F CFA 5,019

$6.51 MX$114

34.41%

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

$268 F CFA 153.5K

$428 MX$7,508

-37.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,349 F CFA 4.2M

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-30.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 F CFA 39.1K

$57.3 MX$1,004

19.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.58 F CFA 25.0K

$45.50 MX$798

-4.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 F CFA 60.1K

$104 MX$1,825

0.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 F CFA 73.7K

$108 MX$1,891

19.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 F CFA 533.8K

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-7.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 F CFA 211.5K

$623 MX$10.9K

-40.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 F CFA 1.1M

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-9.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$933 F CFA 534.8K

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-23.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,047 F CFA 2.9M

$3,885 MX$68.1K

29.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 F CFA 828.4K

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-28.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 F CFA 241.0K

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-59.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

11.34

-27.25%

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

Last update for Dakar: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $931 in Dakar and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 147% 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: $52.0 in Dakar vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $279 vs $292 per month, with Dakar 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

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

Dakar and Mexico City differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,318 vs $1,456 including rent). Dakar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 147% 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: $931 in Dakar versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,318 per month in Dakar versus $1,456 in Mexico City – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dakar runs roughly 323% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,318 in Dakar versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dakar but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Dakar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Dakar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.