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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,226 in Abidjan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $2,140 in Abidjan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $3,054 in Abidjan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 35% more expensive than in Abidjan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Abidjan is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$2.66 F CFA 1,521

348.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$69.3 F CFA 39.6K

-25.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$10.72 F CFA 6,126

6.44%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.92 F CFA 1,100

107.81%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.75 F CFA 426

121.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.77 F CFA 442

72.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.03 F CFA 590

236.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$1.78 F CFA 1,020

231.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$2.08 F CFA 1,191

-9.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.56 F CFA 318

480.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.17 F CFA 671

84.62%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.39 F CFA 1,368

21.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$22.36 F CFA 12.8K

-42.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.84 F CFA 3,337

72.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$6.09 F CFA 3,481

160.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$4.11 F CFA 2,349

-19.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.08 F CFA 615

86.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.16 F CFA 1,234

1.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$2.45 F CFA 1,400

-3.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.76 F CFA 1,004

16.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.66 F CFA 947

14.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.75 F CFA 426

114.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.84 F CFA 477

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$1.71 F CFA 978

219.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$5.23 F CFA 2,991

237.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.07 F CFA 614

92.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.35 F CFA 770

246.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.86 F CFA 493

-60.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$43.77 F CFA 25.0K

-52.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.79 F CFA 1,021

17.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.78 F CFA 1,015

-68.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$26.00 F CFA 14.9K

-77.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.45 F CFA 831

11.03%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$29.4K F CFA 16.8M

-22.37%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$27.1K F CFA 15.5M

-1.34%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$170 F CFA 97.0K

-61.61%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$24.69 F CFA 14.1K

21.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$34.46 F CFA 19.7K

7.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$71.8 F CFA 41.0K

-16.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$21.67 F CFA 12.4K

22.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$8.97 F CFA 5,127

-21.52%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$375 F CFA 214.4K

23.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$4,772 F CFA 2.7M

178.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$93.6 F CFA 53.5K

-18.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$37.56 F CFA 21.5K

48.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$76.5 F CFA 43.7K

46.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$142 F CFA 81.2K

-15.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$687 F CFA 392.8K

60.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$361 F CFA 206.3K

99.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$2,711 F CFA 1.5M

-6.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$1,020 F CFA 583.0K

26.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$2,265 F CFA 1.3M

76.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$691 F CFA 394.9K

202.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$222 F CFA 126.7K

367.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

15.75

-28.25%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Abidjan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $687 in Abidjan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 368% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $69.0 in Abidjan. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $243, 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, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 368% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $687 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 $69.0 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $1,226 in Abidjan – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,226 in Abidjan versus $1,660 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 35% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.