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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $515 in Aba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $745 in Aba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $975 in Aba, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 183% more than Aba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Aba is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$5.29 ₦7,279

147.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$10.44 ₦14.4K

414.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$5.17 ₦7,107

87.23%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.38 ₦521

326.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.27 ₦374

329.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.03 ₦1,415

213.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$1.29 ₦1,768

267.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$2.04 ₦2,808

34.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$4.10 ₦5,645

-54.39%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.45 ₦3,373

2.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$1.59 ₦2,187

541.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$5.53 ₦7,602

49.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$0.37 ₦511

440.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$0.51 ₦695

292.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.29 ₦1,772

61.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.50 ₦683

354.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$1.18 ₦1,627

268.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$7.36 ₦10.1K

130.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.54 ₦737

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.51 ₦697

160.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.48 ₦664

-41.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$2.11 ₦2,896

148.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.67 ₦919

100.00%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

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

$40.69 MX$709

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

$26.87 MX$468

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$12.79 ₦17.6K

312.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$6.67 ₦9,175

299.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

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

$428 MX$7,454

$90.6 ₦124.6K

372.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$21.12 ₦29.1K

171.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$15.59 ₦21.5K

191.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$527 ₦725.2K

90.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$313 ₦429.9K

99.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$765 ₦1.1M

175.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$457 ₦629.3K

166.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$1,035 ₦1.4M

275.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$455 ₦625.8K

346.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$93.1 ₦128.1K

1014.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Aba: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $527 in Aba. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1014% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $10.00 in Aba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $103 – making Aba the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 183%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $772 in Aba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,456 in Mexico City and $515 in Aba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City and $90.6 in Aba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aba, where all-in costs run around $515, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Aba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Aba. 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.