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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $1,009 in Adama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,695 in Adama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $2,381 in Adama, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 66% more than Adama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while Adama is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$3.02 ETB 486

301.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$41.82 ETB 6,722

28.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$5.07 ETB 815

118.74%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$0.90 ETB 145

355.56%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.58 ETB 93.2

189.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.29 ETB 46.06

379.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$0.78 ETB 125

326.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$2.27 ETB 365

159.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$0.82 ETB 132

125.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.22 ETB 197

159.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$2.19 ETB 351

-5.48%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$1.79 ETB 288

63.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$7.53 ETB 1,211

67.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$10.24 ETB 1,646

-1.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$9.34 ETB 1,502

72.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$5.49 ETB 882

-38.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$0.68 ETB 109

205.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$2.24 ETB 360

-5.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$0.71 ETB 114

239.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.46 ETB 73.6

363.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.09 ETB 175

84.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.69 ETB 110

124.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.57 ETB 92.1

138.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$8.05 ETB 1,294

-28.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$5.73 ETB 921

209.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$0.70 ETB 113

195.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$1.26 ETB 203

265.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.29 ETB 208

58.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.27 ETB 43.18

114.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$1.94 ETB 312

212.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.94 ETB 151

64.89%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$54.0K ETB 8.7M

-57.66%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$54.7K ETB 8.8M

-50.22%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$203 ETB 32.6K

-66.79%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$7.20 ETB 1,158

325.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$212 ETB 34.0K

-82.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$3.70 ETB 595

92.16%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$138 ETB 22.2K

229.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$30.8K ETB 4.9M

-55.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$33.04 ETB 5,312

124.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$71.0 ETB 11.4K

-19.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$78.8 ETB 12.7K

46.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$82.9 ETB 13.3K

46.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$350 ETB 56.3K

227.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$202 ETB 32.4K

251.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$985 ETB 158.4K

161.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$785 ETB 126.2K

64.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$102 ETB 16.3K

965.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

18.5

-38.92%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Adama: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $350 in Adama. 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 965% 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 $42.00 in Adama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $213 – making Adama 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 Adama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City, $1,009 in Adama – roughly 66% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $1,513 in Adama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Adama, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $42.00 in Adama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 62% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Adama, where all-in costs run around $1,009, than in Mexico City at $1,677. In Adama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,009 in Adama to $1,677 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Adama. 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.