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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,653 per month in Douala vs $1,448 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,636 per month in Douala vs $2,354 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,620 per month in Douala vs $3,260 in Mexico City, rent included.

Douala costs about 14% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Douala and Mexico City sit above the global median – Douala by 24%, Mexico City by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.78 FCFA 4,958

$12.96 MX$223

-32.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$125 FCFA 70.8K

$52.3 MX$900

139.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.23 FCFA 2,952

$9.69 MX$167

-46.03%

Cappuccino

$1.89 FCFA 1,070

$3.75 MX$64.6

-49.60%

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

$1.64 FCFA 929

$1.56 MX$26.91

5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 FCFA 452

$1.16 MX$19.93

-31.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 FCFA 641

$3.24 MX$55.8

-64.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 FCFA 1,456

$4.90 MX$84.3

-47.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.82 FCFA 1,594

$1.70 MX$29.29

65.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 FCFA 237

$2.67 MX$45.90

-84.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 FCFA 1,296

$1.89 MX$32.49

21.69%

Eggs

$1.93 FCFA 1,091

$2.52 MX$43.37

-23.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.40 FCFA 13.2K

$10.02 MX$172

133.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 FCFA 4,427

$8.53 MX$147

-8.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.34 FCFA 3,576

$11.94 MX$205

-46.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 FCFA 2,799

$2.97 MX$51.1

67.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 FCFA 1,210

$1.79 MX$30.88

19.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 FCFA 1,203

$2.00 MX$34.40

6.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 FCFA 763

$1.96 MX$33.74

-31.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 FCFA 1,859

$2.16 MX$37.21

52.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 FCFA 1,232

$2.27 MX$39.04

-3.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 FCFA 415

$1.40 MX$24.14

-47.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 FCFA 377

$1.11 MX$19.18

-39.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 FCFA 2,000

$4.20 MX$72.2

-15.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.53 FCFA 4,814

$16.54 MX$285

-48.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 FCFA 761

$1.68 MX$28.94

-19.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 FCFA 1,073

$3.59 MX$61.8

-47.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 FCFA 386

$0.39 MX$6.65

74.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.62 FCFA 9,944

$19.19 MX$330

-8.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 FCFA 285

$1.38 MX$23.77

-63.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 FCFA 426

$0.30 MX$5.19

150.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.30 FCFA 4,687

$5.39 MX$92.7

53.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 FCFA 800

$1.29 MX$22.13

10.08%

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

$30.5K FCFA 17.2M

$18.9K MX$325.1K

61.44%

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

$16.1K FCFA 9.1M

$23.8K MX$409.5K

-32.46%

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

$166 FCFA 93.8K

$39.86 MX$686

316.88%

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

$26.06 FCFA 14.7K

$27.83 MX$479

-6.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$180 FCFA 101.3K

$29.77 MX$512

502.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.22 FCFA 13.1K

$52.0 MX$894

-55.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.43 FCFA 1,936

$26.22 MX$451

-86.92%

Cinema Ticket

$9.03 FCFA 5,094

$6.27 MX$108

44.02%

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

$542 FCFA 306.1K

$433 MX$7,443

25.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,498 FCFA 2.0M

$10.5K MX$181.3K

-66.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 FCFA 45.8K

$57.0 MX$981

42.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.3 FCFA 38.6K

$45.33 MX$780

50.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 FCFA 80.3K

$102 MX$1,753

39.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 FCFA 88.4K

$109 MX$1,867

44.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 FCFA 506.8K

$994 MX$17.1K

-9.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 FCFA 328.8K

$617 MX$10.6K

-5.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,942 FCFA 1.1M

$2,086 MX$35.9K

-6.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 FCFA 638.5K

$1,256 MX$21.6K

-9.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,085 FCFA 1.2M

$3,936 MX$67.7K

-47.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$997 FCFA 562.8K

$2,089 MX$35.9K

-52.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 FCFA 93.5K

$1,131 MX$19.5K

-85.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.21

11.34

69.40%

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

Last update for Douala: June 15, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $898 in Douala versus $994 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 583% higher in Mexico City, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $125 in Douala versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $284 in Douala vs $292 in Mexico City – so Douala wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Douala is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,479 per month in Douala and $2,173 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Douala – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $125 in Douala and $52.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,448, than in Douala at $1,653. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Douala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Douala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.