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 $1,636 per month in Douala vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,621 per month in Douala vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,606 per month in Douala vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

Douala costs about 10% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Douala and Mexico City sit above the global median – Douala by 22%, Mexico City by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.02 FCFA 5,062

$12.98 MX$227

-30.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$126 FCFA 70.4K

$53.1 MX$929

136.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 FCFA 2,890

$9.72 MX$170

-47.02%

Cappuccino

$1.89 FCFA 1,062

$3.75 MX$65.6

-49.60%

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

$1.68 FCFA 941

$1.57 MX$27.46

7.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 FCFA 467

$1.13 MX$19.76

-26.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 FCFA 660

$3.18 MX$55.7

-62.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 FCFA 1,492

$4.66 MX$81.6

-42.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.90 FCFA 1,627

$1.62 MX$28.37

79.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 FCFA 250

$2.71 MX$47.36

-83.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 FCFA 1,258

$1.88 MX$32.89

19.15%

Eggs

$1.91 FCFA 1,069

$2.51 MX$43.90

-23.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.75 FCFA 12.8K

$10.08 MX$176

125.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 FCFA 4,329

$8.29 MX$145

-6.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 FCFA 3,690

$11.94 MX$209

-44.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 FCFA 2,773

$2.86 MX$50.1

72.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 FCFA 1,177

$1.75 MX$30.62

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 FCFA 1,171

$2.08 MX$36.48

0.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 FCFA 762

$1.97 MX$34.46

-30.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 FCFA 1,897

$2.16 MX$37.79

56.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 FCFA 1,256

$2.18 MX$38.16

2.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 FCFA 408

$1.39 MX$24.34

-47.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 FCFA 375

$1.12 MX$19.69

-40.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.59 FCFA 2,011

$4.20 MX$73.5

-14.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 FCFA 4,669

$14.25 MX$249

-41.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 FCFA 758

$1.76 MX$30.85

-23.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 FCFA 1,092

$3.68 MX$64.5

-47.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 FCFA 362

$0.39 MX$6.74

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.48 FCFA 9,807

$18.66 MX$327

-6.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 FCFA 306

$1.39 MX$24.26

-60.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 FCFA 426

$0.30 MX$5.32

153.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 FCFA 4,592

$5.42 MX$94.9

51.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 FCFA 768

$1.35 MX$23.63

1.48%

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

$31.0K FCFA 17.4M

$18.9K MX$330.5K

64.42%

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

$16.0K FCFA 9.0M

$23.2K MX$405.2K

-30.78%

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

$170 FCFA 95.2K

$40.82 MX$714

315.68%

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

$25.96 FCFA 14.6K

$27.50 MX$481

-5.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$182 FCFA 101.9K

$30.38 MX$532

497.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.43 FCFA 13.1K

$53.4 MX$935

-56.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.47 FCFA 1,948

$26.30 MX$460

-86.81%

Cinema Ticket

$8.60 FCFA 4,822

$6.27 MX$110

37.16%

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

$530 FCFA 297.3K

$436 MX$7,632

21.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,540 FCFA 2.0M

$10.5K MX$183.2K

-66.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 FCFA 45.5K

$56.8 MX$993

42.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.3 FCFA 39.4K

$44.79 MX$784

56.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 FCFA 79.4K

$103 MX$1,799

37.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 FCFA 86.0K

$108 MX$1,888

42.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 FCFA 513.0K

$1,000 MX$17.5K

-8.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 FCFA 328.3K

$620 MX$10.9K

-5.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 FCFA 1.1M

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-11.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 FCFA 633.3K

$1,235 MX$21.6K

-8.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,108 FCFA 1.2M

$3,865 MX$67.6K

-45.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,005 FCFA 563.8K

$2,332 MX$40.8K

-56.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 FCFA 91.6K

$1,067 MX$18.7K

-84.69%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $915 in Douala versus $1,000 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 553% 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 $126 in Douala versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $282 in Douala vs $286 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 10%, 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 $2,454 per month in Douala and $2,225 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 1% 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 $126 in Douala and $53.0 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 $1,484, than in Douala at $1,636. 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.