Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jimma and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Jimma: $1,014 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Jimma, Ethiopia
Mexico City, Mexico
Jimma
🇪🇹 Ethiopia
$1,014
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jimma and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Jimma and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Jimma vs $1,608 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Jimma $1,014
  • Mexico City $1,608

A couple spends around $1,403 per month in Jimma vs $2,549 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Jimma $1,403
  • Mexico City $2,549

A family of three spends $1,791 per month in Jimma vs $3,490 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Jimma $1,791
  • Mexico City $3,490

Jimma is about 37% cheaper than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Jimma sits 26% below the global median, while Mexico City is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jimma
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.43 ETB 712
$10.62 MX$198
-58.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$48.35 MX$901
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$10.35 MX$193
-
Cappuccino
$1.10 ETB 176
$3.69 MX$68.8
-70.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ETB 85.8
$1.67 MX$31.07
-68.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ETB 75.9
$1.27 MX$23.59
-62.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.72 ETB 437
$3.19 MX$59.5
-14.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 ETB 232
$5.31 MX$98.9
-72.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jimma
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 ETB 182
$1.72 MX$32.15
-34.30%
White Bread (500g)
$0.36 ETB 57.6
$3.04 MX$56.7
-88.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.15 ETB 185
$1.94 MX$36.19
-40.72%
Eggs
$3.96 ETB 638
$2.89 MX$53.8
37.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$10.97 MX$205
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.29 ETB 1,815
$9.25 MX$172
22.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.22 ETB 1,804
$15.13 MX$282
-25.84%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 ETB 368
$3.05 MX$56.8
-24.92%
Banana (1kg)
$1.09 ETB 175
$1.94 MX$36.19
-43.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.31 ETB 532
$2.03 MX$37.75
63.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.54 ETB 86.2
$2.31 MX$43.15
-76.62%
Potato (1kg)
$0.55 ETB 88.0
$2.04 MX$37.94
-73.04%
Onion (1kg)
$3.36 ETB 541
$1.80 MX$33.55
86.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.48 MX$27.58
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 ETB 86.8
$1.27 MX$23.63
-57.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$5.30 MX$98.9
-
Wine (Bottle)
$6.84 ETB 1,099
$16.10 MX$300
-57.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 ETB 183
$1.98 MX$36.97
-42.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 ETB 229
$4.25 MX$79.3
-66.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Jimma
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.21 ETB 33.63
$0.31 MX$5.69
-32.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$13.46 ETB 2,164
$19.73 MX$368
-31.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.84 MX$34.25
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.53 MX$9.94
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.69 ETB 272
$5.30 MX$98.7
-68.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.72 ETB 277
$1.51 MX$28.16
13.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.6K ETB 8.0M
$21.8K MX$405.5K
128.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$55.5K ETB 8.9M
$24.0K MX$447.1K
131.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jimma
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$60.2 ETB 9,687
$63.0 MX$1,174
-4.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.58 ETB 5,722
$27.39 MX$511
29.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$301 ETB 48.3K
$35.67 MX$665
742.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jimma
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.07 ETB 5,318
$58.9 MX$1,099
-43.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$23.64 MX$441
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$6.40 MX$119
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jimma
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$432 MX$8,045
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$11.4K MX$212.9K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jimma
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$68.2 MX$1,272
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$90.8 ETB 14.6K
$53.1 MX$990
70.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$133 ETB 21.5K
$108 MX$2,009
23.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 ETB 17.9K
$117 MX$2,186
-5.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jimma
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$203 ETB 32.6K
$1,113 MX$20.8K
-81.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$154 ETB 24.7K
$710 MX$13.2K
-78.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$407 ETB 65.5K
$2,588 MX$48.2K
-84.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$313 ETB 50.3K
$1,406 MX$26.2K
-77.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,192 ETB 352.4K
$3,631 MX$67.7K
-39.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,138 ETB 183.0K
$2,135 MX$39.8K
-46.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jimma
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$223 ETB 35.9K
$946 MX$17.6K
-76.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9
11.35
-20.70%

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

Last update for Jimma: October 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Jimma
–
Mexico City
$710
Groceries & Markets
Jimma
–
Mexico City
$320
Eating Out
Jimma
–
Mexico City
$199
Clothing & Footwear
Jimma
–
Mexico City
$156
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jimma
–
Mexico City
$126
Sport & Entertainment
Jimma
–
Mexico City
$72
Getting Around
Jimma
–
Mexico City
$25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $203 in Jimma versus $1,113 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 in Mexico City are about 4.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know
🇪🇹 Jimma
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
02:01 2:01 AM
17:01 5:01 PM
9 h behind Jimma
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
207,573
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to ETB – Ethiopian Birr Converter

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD). 1 EUR = 179 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.59 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Jimma Mexico City 14,330 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Jimma
  • Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Jimma vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jimma cheaper than Mexico City?
Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 59%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,521 per month in Jimma and $2,412 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Jimma, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $203 there versus $1,113 in Mexico City.
How do food prices compare in Jimma and in Mexico City?
Groceries cost about 63% more in Mexico City, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 32% less in Jimma. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Jimma or in Mexico City?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jimma, where all-in costs run around $1,014, than in Mexico City at $1,608. In Jimma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Jimma or in Mexico City?
It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,014 in Jimma to $1,608 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Jimma. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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