🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,047 in Lome versus $1,467 in Mexico City.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,533 in Lome versus $2,371 in Mexico City.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,020 in Lome versus $3,274 in Mexico City.
🙂Living in Lome costs roughly 29% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Lome is 22% below, Mexico City is 10% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lome
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.15F CFA 1,216
$13.18MX$228
-83.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.22F CFA 17.6K
$53.9MX$931
-42.08%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.38F CFA 3,036
$9.42MX$163
-42.89%
Cappuccino
$5.61F CFA 3,168
$3.55MX$61.3
58.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46F CFA 1,953
$1.62MX$27.95
113.58%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11F CFA 627
$1.11MX$19.25
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.84F CFA 477
$3.12MX$53.9
-73.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71F CFA 964
$4.63MX$80.0
-63.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lome
Mexico City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.48F CFA 1,397
$1.70MX$29.40
45.88%
White Bread(500g)
$1.33F CFA 748
$2.72MX$46.97
-51.10%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.83F CFA 1,035
$1.91MX$33.04
-4.19%
Eggs
$2.10F CFA 1,184
$2.54MX$43.82
-17.32%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.13F CFA 7,975
$10.03MX$173
40.88%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.41F CFA 4,748
$8.09MX$140
3.96%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.44F CFA 5,326
$11.62MX$201
-18.76%
Apples(1kg)
$2.71F CFA 1,530
$2.97MX$51.3
-8.75%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50F CFA 845
$1.81MX$31.21
-17.13%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.62F CFA 1,481
$2.01MX$34.79
30.35%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.48F CFA 1,402
$2.03MX$35.16
22.17%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79F CFA 1,012
$2.12MX$36.71
-15.57%
Onion(1kg)
$1.74F CFA 981
$2.27MX$39.21
-23.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.50F CFA 284
$1.40MX$24.20
-64.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85F CFA 482
$1.13MX$19.53
-24.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.44F CFA 815
$4.27MX$73.8
-66.28%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.87F CFA 2,748
$15.56MX$269
-68.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.33F CFA 749
$1.76MX$30.36
-24.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51F CFA 855
$3.60MX$62.1
-58.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Lome
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.36F CFA 204
$0.38MX$6.62
-5.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$53.3F CFA 30.1K
$19.18MX$331
177.63%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.13F CFA 1,203
$1.38MX$23.77
54.35%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.69F CFA 389
$0.28MX$4.78
146.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.21F CFA 2,938
$5.45MX$94.1
-4.40%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.25F CFA 704
$1.30MX$22.53
-3.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$14.1KF CFA 7.9M
$18.7KMX$322.9K
-24.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0KF CFA 14.7M
$23.1KMX$399.7K
12.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lome
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$173F CFA 97.5K
$40.86MX$706
323.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.89F CFA 12.4K
$26.81MX$463
-18.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.32F CFA 25.0K
$29.96MX$518
47.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lome
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.54F CFA 28.0K
$52.0MX$899
-4.77%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.63F CFA 4,871
$26.84MX$464
-67.85%
Cinema Ticket
$4.33F CFA 2,444
$6.30MX$109
-31.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lome
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$177F CFA 99.9K
$436MX$7,536
-59.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,103F CFA 2.9M
$10.4KMX$180.0K
-51.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lome
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.39F CFA 13.8K
$56.7MX$979
-56.95%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.26F CFA 15.4K
$44.38MX$767
-38.58%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$42.14F CFA 23.8K
$103MX$1,779
-59.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.0F CFA 53.0K
$106MX$1,823
-10.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lome
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$360F CFA 202.9K
$1,022MX$17.7K
-64.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$224F CFA 126.2K
$631MX$10.9K
-64.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$765F CFA 431.8K
$2,136MX$36.9K
-64.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$299F CFA 169.0K
$1,243MX$21.5K
-75.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,903MX$67.4K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,064MX$35.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lome
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$267F CFA 150.6K
$1,115MX$19.3K
-76.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8
11.34
-29.45%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lome: May 31, 2026
Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $360 in Lome and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Mexico City pays 318% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $31.00 in Lome vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $288 per month, with Lome cheaper across the board.
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
Lome vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lome or Mexico City?
Lome wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lome the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lome or Mexico City?
On paper, Mexico City earns 318% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lome vs Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $360 in Lome versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Lome and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $177 in Lome versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Lome or Mexico City?
Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Lome or Mexico City?
At $1,047 in Lome versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lome but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Lome the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lome or Mexico City?
Both work as nomad bases, but Lome delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,047 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lome hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Lome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.