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 $1,650 per month in Douala vs $1,472 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,687 per month in Douala vs $2,359 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Douala vs $3,245 in Mexico City, rent included.

Douala costs about 12% 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 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.94 FCFA 5,077

$13.14 MX$227

-31.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$126 FCFA 71.4K

$53.5 MX$926

134.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 FCFA 3,012

$9.33 MX$161

-43.09%

Cappuccino

$1.81 FCFA 1,028

$3.70 MX$64.0

-51.08%

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

$1.72 FCFA 978

$1.60 MX$27.76

7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 FCFA 474

$1.12 MX$19.34

-25.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 FCFA 663

$3.14 MX$54.3

-62.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 FCFA 1,491

$4.85 MX$83.9

-45.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 FCFA 1,615

$1.65 MX$28.61

72.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 FCFA 255

$2.71 MX$46.96

-83.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 FCFA 1,330

$1.91 MX$33.03

22.51%

Eggs

$2.01 FCFA 1,139

$2.59 MX$44.81

-22.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.23 FCFA 13.2K

$9.81 MX$170

136.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 FCFA 4,383

$8.43 MX$146

-8.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.62 FCFA 3,757

$11.93 MX$206

-44.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 FCFA 2,775

$2.95 MX$51.1

65.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 FCFA 1,197

$1.74 MX$30.10

21.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 FCFA 1,177

$2.04 MX$35.38

1.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 FCFA 801

$2.06 MX$35.64

-31.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 FCFA 1,873

$2.15 MX$37.20

53.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 FCFA 1,291

$2.26 MX$39.02

0.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 FCFA 440

$1.39 MX$23.97

-43.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 FCFA 353

$1.12 MX$19.31

-44.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 FCFA 1,953

$4.22 MX$73.0

-18.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.70 FCFA 4,941

$17.51 MX$303

-50.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 FCFA 808

$1.71 MX$29.58

-16.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 FCFA 1,074

$3.63 MX$62.8

-47.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 FCFA 363

$0.35 MX$6.10

82.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.56 FCFA 9,967

$19.32 MX$334

-9.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 FCFA 310

$1.38 MX$23.80

-60.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 FCFA 465

$0.28 MX$4.77

192.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.51 FCFA 4,832

$5.28 MX$91.3

61.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 FCFA 803

$1.36 MX$23.50

3.68%

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

$30.9K FCFA 17.6M

$19.1K MX$330.5K

61.98%

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

$15.7K FCFA 8.9M

$23.6K MX$408.4K

-33.59%

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

$168 FCFA 95.2K

$40.53 MX$701

313.52%

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

$26.17 FCFA 14.9K

$27.38 MX$474

-4.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$183 FCFA 104.0K

$30.38 MX$526

502.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.46 FCFA 13.3K

$52.2 MX$903

-55.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.46 FCFA 1,966

$26.48 MX$458

-86.93%

Cinema Ticket

$8.65 FCFA 4,911

$6.19 MX$107

39.74%

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

$541 FCFA 307.2K

$425 MX$7,355

27.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,435 FCFA 2.0M

$10.7K MX$185.7K

-68.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.0 FCFA 46.5K

$58.3 MX$1,009

40.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.6 FCFA 39.5K

$44.57 MX$771

56.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 FCFA 82.1K

$103 MX$1,791

39.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 FCFA 87.5K

$109 MX$1,881

41.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 FCFA 511.2K

$1,014 MX$17.5K

-11.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 FCFA 337.2K

$623 MX$10.8K

-4.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 FCFA 1.1M

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-9.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 FCFA 632.5K

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-8.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,048 FCFA 1.2M

$3,792 MX$65.6K

-46.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$978 FCFA 555.4K

$2,110 MX$36.5K

-53.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$211 FCFA 119.9K

$1,052 MX$18.2K

-79.93%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $900 in Douala versus $1,014 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 398% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $284 in Douala vs $293 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 12%, 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 $2,476 per month in Douala and $2,208 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 $126 in Douala and $54.0 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 $1,472, than in Douala at $1,650. 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.