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 $1,382 per month in Douala vs $1,660 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,200 per month in Douala vs $2,565 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,018 per month in Douala vs $3,470 in Mexico City, rent included.

Douala is about 17% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Douala and Mexico City sit above the global median – Douala by 1%, Mexico City by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 FCFA 2,486

$11.92 MX$206

-63.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$123 FCFA 70.1K

$51.6 MX$890

137.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 FCFA 4,100

$11.41 MX$197

-37.07%

Cappuccino

$2.10 FCFA 1,200

$3.99 MX$68.9

-47.37%

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

$1.72 FCFA 985

$1.66 MX$28.61

3.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 FCFA 461

$1.33 MX$22.87

-39.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 FCFA 720

$3.47 MX$59.9

-63.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 FCFA 1,496

$5.90 MX$102

-55.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.96 FCFA 1,693

$1.88 MX$32.36

57.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 FCFA 239

$3.25 MX$56.1

-87.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 FCFA 1,326

$2.16 MX$37.26

7.41%

Eggs

$2.01 FCFA 1,147

$2.90 MX$49.94

-30.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.14 FCFA 13.2K

$12.86 MX$222

79.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.02 FCFA 4,582

$10.05 MX$173

-20.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.52 FCFA 3,728

$15.86 MX$273

-58.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 FCFA 2,702

$3.29 MX$56.8

43.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 FCFA 1,238

$2.01 MX$34.60

7.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 FCFA 1,227

$2.20 MX$37.93

-2.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 FCFA 815

$2.36 MX$40.63

-39.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 FCFA 1,877

$2.05 MX$35.43

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 FCFA 1,278

$1.90 MX$32.79

17.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 FCFA 413

$1.61 MX$27.68

-55.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 FCFA 371

$1.40 MX$24.09

-53.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 FCFA 1,527

$5.46 MX$94.2

-51.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.88 FCFA 5,073

$17.65 MX$304

-49.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 FCFA 870

$2.06 MX$35.44

-26.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 FCFA 1,059

$4.68 MX$80.8

-60.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 FCFA 370

$0.34 MX$5.84

91.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.44 FCFA 9,968

$20.81 MX$359

-16.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 FCFA 338

$2.10 MX$36.15

-71.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 FCFA 521

$0.56 MX$9.64

62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 FCFA 4,698

$5.81 MX$100

41.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 FCFA 827

$1.61 MX$27.68

-9.94%

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

$30.4K FCFA 17.3M

$22.8K MX$393.8K

32.90%

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

$16.1K FCFA 9.2M

$26.8K MX$461.2K

-39.75%

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

$165 FCFA 94.0K

$65.2 MX$1,124

152.50%

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

$26.52 FCFA 15.2K

$30.09 MX$519

-11.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$185 FCFA 105.6K

$37.18 MX$641

397.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.26 FCFA 24.1K

$59.8 MX$1,030

-29.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$9.02 FCFA 5,157

$7.04 MX$121

28.12%

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

$539 FCFA 307.9K

$465 MX$8,012

15.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,461 FCFA 2.0M

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-73.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.8 FCFA 46.2K

$75.9 MX$1,308

6.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 FCFA 39.0K

$56.0 MX$965

21.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 FCFA 82.8K

$112 MX$1,929

29.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 FCFA 88.8K

$121 MX$2,078

28.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 FCFA 323.6K

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-48.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 FCFA 189.4K

$721 MX$12.4K

-54.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 FCFA 791.5K

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-45.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 FCFA 320.1K

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-56.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,067 FCFA 1.2M

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-48.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$990 FCFA 565.5K

$2,090 MX$36.0K

-52.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$232 FCFA 132.5K

$1,037 MX$17.9K

-77.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.04

11.3

68.50%

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

Last update for Douala: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $566 in Douala versus $1,103 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 347% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $123 in Douala versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $287 in Douala vs $345 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 – Mexico City is pricier by about 20%, 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 $2,073 per month in Douala and $2,489 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 20% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $123 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Douala, where all-in costs run around $1,382, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Douala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Douala – 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 Douala. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.