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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $513 in Aba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $744 in Aba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $975 in Aba, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 186% more than Aba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Aba is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$5.30 ₦7,213

148.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$10.48 ₦14.3K

414.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$5.20 ₦7,084

81.15%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.38 ₦514

326.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.27 ₦368

311.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.02 ₦1,391

205.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$1.28 ₦1,743

261.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$2.05 ₦2,788

32.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$4.11 ₦5,596

-53.53%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.44 ₦3,321

4.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$1.50 ₦2,049

568.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$5.30 ₦7,222

52.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$0.41 ₦552

390.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$0.51 ₦690

298.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.28 ₦1,749

65.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.55 ₦743

312.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$1.19 ₦1,620

258.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$7.36 ₦10.0K

111.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.55 ₦743

-30.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.51 ₦688

170.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.48 ₦657

-41.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$2.10 ₦2,856

159.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.68 ₦925

91.18%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

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)

$26.81 MX$464

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$12.78 ₦17.4K

307.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$6.46 ₦8,801

315.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

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

$436 MX$7,544

$92.0 ₦125.3K

374.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$21.13 ₦28.8K

168.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$15.60 ₦21.3K

184.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$519 ₦706.7K

96.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$314 ₦428.2K

100.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$792 ₦1.1M

169.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$469 ₦638.1K

165.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$95.1 ₦129.5K

1072.50%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Aba: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $519 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 1073% 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: $288 vs $102 – 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 186%, 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 $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $770 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 $1,467 in Mexico City and $513 in Aba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $92.0 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 $513, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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.