Cost of Living Comparison Between Malabo and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Malabo and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $589 per month in Malabo vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,225 per month in Malabo vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,862 per month in Malabo vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Malabo is about 60% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Malabo sits 56% below the global median, while Mexico City is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 FCFA 40.1K

$53.8 MX$943

29.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 FCFA 4,978

$9.68 MX$170

-10.33%

Cappuccino

$5.20 FCFA 2,984

$3.74 MX$65.6

39.04%

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

$0.90 FCFA 517

$1.62 MX$28.34

-44.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 FCFA 521

$1.16 MX$20.37

-21.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 FCFA 1,628

$1.65 MX$28.89

72.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

Eggs

$4.11 FCFA 2,358

$2.50 MX$43.86

64.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 FCFA 3,901

$10.20 MX$179

-33.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 FCFA 3,848

$8.25 MX$145

-18.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 FCFA 4,297

$11.82 MX$207

-36.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 FCFA 531

$1.46 MX$25.55

-36.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 FCFA 724

$1.08 MX$18.88

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 FCFA 2,568

$4.35 MX$76.3

2.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 FCFA 838

$1.73 MX$30.40

-15.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 FCFA 748

$0.39 MX$6.79

233.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 FCFA 15.3K

$18.69 MX$328

43.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 FCFA 482

$1.33 MX$23.25

-36.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 FCFA 459

$0.28 MX$4.91

185.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 FCFA 5,047

$5.25 MX$92.1

67.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

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

$33.5K FCFA 19.2M

$19.4K MX$340.5K

72.46%

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

$29.5K FCFA 16.9M

$23.8K MX$418.0K

23.92%

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

$40.69 MX$714

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

$17.49 FCFA 10.0K

$26.87 MX$471

-34.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.52 FCFA 10.0K

$30.51 MX$535

-42.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.61 FCFA 19.8K

$52.8 MX$926

-34.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.94 FCFA 8,566

$26.65 MX$467

-43.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 FCFA 3,177

$6.51 MX$114

-14.90%

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

$428 MX$7,508

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$357 FCFA 204.8K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-96.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.55 FCFA 15.2K

$57.3 MX$1,004

-53.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$134 FCFA 76.6K

$45.50 MX$798

193.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.8 FCFA 51.5K

$108 MX$1,891

-16.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 FCFA 152.9K

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-73.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$124 FCFA 70.9K

$623 MX$10.9K

-80.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$958 FCFA 549.3K

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-54.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$520 FCFA 298.4K

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-57.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$846 FCFA 485.0K

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-78.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$645 FCFA 369.7K

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-68.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

11.34

-40.04%

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

Last update for Malabo: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $267 in Malabo versus $1,003 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Malabo versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $147 in Malabo vs $292 in Mexico City – so Malabo 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

Malabo vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $589 in Malabo, $1,456 in Mexico City – roughly 147% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $883 per month in Malabo and $2,185 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 43% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 98% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malabo, where all-in costs run around $589, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Malabo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $589 in Malabo to $1,456 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Malabo. 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.