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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,121 in Abuja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $2,034 in Abuja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,947 in Abuja.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 48% more expensive than in Abuja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Abuja is 18% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$2.22 ₦2,940

436.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$30.30 ₦40.1K

70.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$4.44 ₦5,890

156.98%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$3.33 ₦4,407

19.82%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.51 ₦682

225.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.71 ₦943

87.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.07 ₦1,414

224.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.09 ₦2,767

182.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$3.62 ₦4,796

-48.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.31 ₦1,734

148.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$2.17 ₦2,881

-0.46%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.88 ₦2,489

54.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$11.16 ₦14.8K

15.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.39 ₦7,143

86.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$5.90 ₦7,824

168.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.07 ₦2,741

58.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.43 ₦1,891

40.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.51 ₦2,003

45.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$2.36 ₦3,131

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.81 ₦2,397

13.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$2.49 ₦3,295

-23.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.56 ₦741

187.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.37 ₦492

278.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.02 ₦2,671

170.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$5.71 ₦7,568

209.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.19 ₦1,583

73.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.85 ₦2,452

152.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.36 ₦481

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$32.36 ₦42.9K

-35.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.62 ₦821

238.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.88 ₦1,163

-36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$1.87 ₦2,483

210.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.54 ₦719

198.15%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$25.8K ₦34.2M

-11.50%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$18.2K ₦24.1M

47.13%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$111 ₦146.7K

-41.13%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$6.61 ₦8,758

355.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$28.79 ₦38.2K

29.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$36.48 ₦48.3K

63.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$11.07 ₦14.7K

139.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.98 ₦6,603

41.37%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$44.89 ₦59.5K

935.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$3,151 ₦4.2M

321.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$25.50 ₦33.8K

197.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$60.6 ₦80.3K

-7.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$77.5 ₦102.7K

44.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$106 ₦140.2K

13.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$1,391 ₦1.8M

-20.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$455 ₦603.4K

58.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$3,403 ₦4.5M

-25.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$1,533 ₦2.0M

-15.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$701 ₦928.4K

469.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$380 ₦504.1K

449.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$165 ₦218.4K

529.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

22.5

-49.78%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Abuja: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $1,391 in Abuja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 530% 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 $30.00 in Abuja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $219 per month, with Abuja cheaper across the board.

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 Abuja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Abuja differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $1,121 including rent). Abuja is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 530% 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 $1,391 in Abuja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $1,121 in Abuja – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Abuja runs roughly 56% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,121 in Abuja versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Abuja but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Abuja the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Abuja gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.