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 $678 per month in Malabo vs $1,646 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,146 per month in Malabo vs $2,613 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,613 per month in Malabo vs $3,580 in Mexico City, rent included.

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

Malabo sits 51% below the global median, while Mexico City is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.73 FCFA 4,938

$12.11 MX$206

-27.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 FCFA 40.1K

$52.2 MX$887

35.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 FCFA 5,006

$10.90 MX$185

-18.81%

Cappuccino

$4.80 FCFA 2,716

$4.05 MX$68.8

18.52%

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

$0.85 FCFA 482

$1.72 MX$29.13

-50.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 FCFA 256

$1.38 MX$23.40

-67.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 FCFA 1,018

$3.47 MX$58.9

-48.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.7

Milk (1 liter)

$2.90 FCFA 1,640

$1.85 MX$31.48

56.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.7

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 FCFA 995

$2.09 MX$35.42

-15.79%

Eggs

$4.00 FCFA 2,264

$2.91 MX$49.41

37.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.56 FCFA 3,710

$12.49 MX$212

-47.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.13 FCFA 3,467

$10.11 MX$172

-39.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 FCFA 4,131

$15.89 MX$270

-54.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 FCFA 1,387

$3.31 MX$56.3

-25.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 FCFA 987

$2.13 MX$36.12

-18.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.20

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.57

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.18

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.35

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.44

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.92

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 FCFA 2,487

$5.43 MX$92.1

-18.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$299

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 FCFA 800

$2.07 MX$35.12

-31.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 FCFA 521

$4.75 MX$80.6

-80.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 FCFA 1,014

$0.34 MX$5.77

426.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.36 FCFA 14.9K

$21.58 MX$366

22.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 FCFA 492

$2.04 MX$34.65

-57.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 FCFA 515

$0.58 MX$9.82

56.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.66 FCFA 4,899

$5.97 MX$101

45.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.44

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

$33.2K FCFA 18.8M

$22.8K MX$387.4K

45.42%

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

$30.0K FCFA 17.0M

$26.7K MX$452.8K

12.57%

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

$65.2 MX$1,108

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

$17.67 FCFA 9,997

$29.87 MX$507

-40.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.92 FCFA 10.1K

$36.55 MX$621

-50.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.99 FCFA 20.4K

$61.0 MX$1,036

-41.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.58 FCFA 8,251

$26.70 MX$453

-45.39%

Cinema Ticket

$5.42 FCFA 3,064

$6.85 MX$116

-20.88%

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

$453 MX$7,700

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$359 FCFA 203.1K

$13.4K MX$227.1K

-97.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,273

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$939

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,929

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,083

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 FCFA 131.2K

$712 MX$12.1K

-67.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 FCFA 196.9K

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-86.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 FCFA 164.7K

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-77.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$841 FCFA 475.9K

$3,993 MX$67.8K

-78.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$656 FCFA 371.3K

$2,095 MX$35.6K

-68.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

11.3

-39.82%

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

Last update for Malabo: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Malabo versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $156 in Malabo vs $345 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: $678 in Malabo, $1,646 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 $1,017 per month in Malabo and $2,469 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 22% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 121% 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 $678, than in Mexico City at $1,646. 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 $678 in Malabo to $1,646 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.