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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,325 in Abidjan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $2,172 in Abidjan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $3,020 in Abidjan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 11% more expensive than Abidjan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Abidjan is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$3.45 F CFA 1,947

282.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$53.7 F CFA 30.3K

0.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$10.66 F CFA 6,012

-11.63%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$1.81 F CFA 1,020

96.13%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.86 F CFA 485

88.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.83 F CFA 467

33.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.03 F CFA 580

202.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$1.79 F CFA 1,008

158.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$2.34 F CFA 1,322

-27.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.62 F CFA 350

338.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.29 F CFA 728

48.06%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.29 F CFA 1,290

10.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$23.28 F CFA 13.1K

-56.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$8.59 F CFA 4,846

-5.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$6.24 F CFA 3,519

86.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$3.91 F CFA 2,203

-24.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.15 F CFA 646

57.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$2.20 F CFA 1,238

-8.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$2.03 F CFA 1,145

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.68 F CFA 949

26.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.75 F CFA 989

29.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.89 F CFA 502

57.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.91 F CFA 512

24.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$1.73 F CFA 973

146.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$6.25 F CFA 3,524

148.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.06 F CFA 596

66.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.42 F CFA 803

153.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.98 F CFA 555

-61.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$49.40 F CFA 27.9K

-61.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$1.74 F CFA 982

-20.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.55 F CFA 873

-81.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$26.56 F CFA 15.0K

-79.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.55 F CFA 876

-16.13%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$32.3K F CFA 18.2M

-42.12%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$29.8K F CFA 16.8M

-22.48%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$183 F CFA 103.0K

-77.64%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$36.19 F CFA 20.4K

-25.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$45.08 F CFA 25.4K

-33.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$80.6 F CFA 45.5K

-35.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$21.96 F CFA 12.4K

22.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$8.91 F CFA 5,024

-29.29%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$285 F CFA 161.0K

52.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$3,287 F CFA 1.9M

216.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$92.7 F CFA 52.3K

-38.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$57.9 F CFA 32.6K

-23.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$84.6 F CFA 47.7K

21.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$138 F CFA 77.6K

-23.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$623 F CFA 351.4K

64.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$399 F CFA 225.0K

58.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$1,880 F CFA 1.1M

13.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$920 F CFA 518.8K

35.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$2,302 F CFA 1.3M

69.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$707 F CFA 398.8K

191.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$221 F CFA 124.7K

404.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

14.75

-23.12%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Abidjan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $623 in Abidjan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 404% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $54.0 in Abidjan. Groceries flip the comparison at $288 vs $264, with Abidjan cheaper for home cooking.

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 Abidjan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Abidjan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 404% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $623 in Abidjan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Abidjan – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $1,325 in Abidjan – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,325 in Abidjan versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Abidjan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Abidjan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Abidjan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Abidjan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.