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 $605 per month in Malabo vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,254 per month in Malabo vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Malabo vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Malabo is about 59% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Malabo sits 55% below the global median, while Mexico City is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 FCFA 39.1K

$53.9 MX$932

28.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 FCFA 4,883

$9.42 MX$163

-8.07%

Cappuccino

$5.30 FCFA 2,989

$3.55 MX$61.4

49.30%

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

$0.89 FCFA 505

$1.62 MX$27.98

-45.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 FCFA 510

$1.11 MX$19.27

-18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

Milk (1 liter)

$2.79 FCFA 1,572

$1.70 MX$29.43

64.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

Eggs

$4.27 FCFA 2,409

$2.54 MX$43.86

68.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.84 FCFA 3,857

$10.03 MX$174

-31.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 FCFA 3,854

$8.09 MX$140

-15.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 FCFA 4,030

$11.62 MX$201

-38.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 FCFA 525

$1.40 MX$24.22

-33.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 FCFA 693

$1.13 MX$19.55

8.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 FCFA 2,611

$4.27 MX$73.9

8.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 FCFA 814

$1.76 MX$30.39

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 FCFA 753

$0.38 MX$6.62

250.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.60 FCFA 15.0K

$19.18 MX$332

38.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 FCFA 513

$1.38 MX$23.79

-34.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 FCFA 452

$0.28 MX$4.78

185.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 FCFA 5,063

$5.45 MX$94.2

64.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

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

$33.0K FCFA 18.6M

$18.7K MX$323.2K

76.61%

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

$29.3K FCFA 16.5M

$23.1K MX$400.1K

26.47%

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

$40.86 MX$707

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

$17.40 FCFA 9,811

$26.81 MX$464

-35.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.32 FCFA 9,768

$29.96 MX$518

-42.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.03 FCFA 19.8K

$52.0 MX$900

-32.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 FCFA 8,396

$26.84 MX$464

-44.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 FCFA 3,138

$6.30 MX$109

-11.75%

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

$436 MX$7,544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$359 FCFA 202.2K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-96.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.93 FCFA 15.2K

$56.7 MX$980

-52.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$132 FCFA 74.2K

$44.38 MX$768

196.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 FCFA 50.7K

$106 MX$1,825

-14.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 FCFA 150.0K

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-73.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 FCFA 69.4K

$631 MX$10.9K

-80.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 FCFA 539.2K

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-55.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 FCFA 294.3K

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-58.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$847 FCFA 477.4K

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-78.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$634 FCFA 357.8K

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-69.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $266 in Malabo versus $1,022 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 $69.0 in Malabo versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $147 in Malabo vs $288 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: $605 in Malabo, $1,467 in Mexico City – roughly 143% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $907 per month in Malabo and $2,201 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 39% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 97% 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 $605, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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 $605 in Malabo to $1,467 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.