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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,698 in Abuja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $2,805 in Abuja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $3,911 in Abuja.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 15% less than in Abuja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 8% above, Abuja 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$2.05 ₦2,792

533.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$44.38 ₦60.3K

18.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$5.48 ₦7,458

72.08%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.55 ₦3,470

40.00%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.52 ₦701

209.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.41 ₦561

180.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.11 ₦1,505

183.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$1.15 ₦1,563

322.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$3.14 ₦4,272

-45.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.26 ₦1,716

109.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.46 ₦3,347

-22.76%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.54 ₦2,094

64.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$5.17 ₦7,031

94.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.61 ₦6,270

79.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$3.83 ₦5,207

202.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.05 ₦4,152

-0.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.76 ₦2,388

-2.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.17 ₦2,945

-5.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.77 ₦2,402

16.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$2.06 ₦2,802

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.52 ₦3,433

-13.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.57 ₦775

145.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.29 ₦394

286.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.45 ₦3,337

75.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$5.68 ₦7,720

171.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.06 ₦1,439

57.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.40 ₦1,909

163.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.64 ₦868

-40.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.87 ₦1,183

58.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.02 ₦1,388

-72.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$4.23 ₦5,747

28.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.84 ₦1,139

52.38%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

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

$41.02 MX$704

$30.68 ₦41.7K

33.70%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$10.95 ₦14.9K

145.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$40.93 ₦55.6K

-27.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$45.64 ₦62.1K

14.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$10.57 ₦14.4K

148.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$8.46 ₦11.5K

-26.95%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$133 ₦180.8K

221.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$1,986 ₦2.7M

438.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$30.31 ₦41.2K

87.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$28.98 ₦39.4K

54.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$67.6 ₦91.9K

54.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$86.1 ₦117.1K

23.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$2,414 ₦3.3M

-58.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$1,175 ₦1.6M

-47.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$5,508 ₦7.5M

-61.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$2,674 ₦3.6M

-53.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$366 ₦497.0K

473.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$164 ₦222.9K

575.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

22.5

-49.60%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Abuja: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $2,414 in Abuja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 576% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $44.00 in Abuja for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $190 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 17% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,698 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 576% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $2,414 in Abuja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $133 in Abuja. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $44.00 in Abuja. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,698 in Abuja, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Abuja. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.