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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $1,078 in Adama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,761 in Adama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $2,443 in Adama, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 37% more than Adama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Adama is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$229

$3.02 ETB 483

335.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$934

$35.39 ETB 5,651

51.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$163

$4.97 ETB 794

87.73%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.5

$1.25 ETB 199

196.00%

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

$1.60 MX$27.98

$0.64 ETB 102

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$0.31 ETB 50.2

261.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.98 ETB 157

220.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.5

$2.94 ETB 469

64.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.84

$1.38 ETB 221

19.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.34

$1.33 ETB 213

103.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.29

$2.15 ETB 343

-11.16%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.17

$2.50 ETB 399

3.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$171

$6.94 ETB 1,109

41.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$14.03 ETB 2,241

-39.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$208

$13.32 ETB 2,128

-10.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$6.70 ETB 1,070

-55.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.35

$1.02 ETB 163

70.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.66

$2.25 ETB 359

-9.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.93

$0.97 ETB 154

112.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.49

$0.68 ETB 108

216.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.33

$1.84 ETB 294

22.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.17

$0.64 ETB 102

117.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.47

$0.64 ETB 102

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.6

$3.89 ETB 622

8.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$305

$5.66 ETB 903

209.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.82

$1.00 ETB 160

71.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$63.4

$1.82 ETB 291

99.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.15

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.00

$1.50 ETB 240

-8.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.81

$0.29 ETB 46.69

-3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$92.0

$1.97 ETB 315

168.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.69

$1.29 ETB 206

5.43%

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

$19.1K MX$333.2K

$54.7K ETB 8.7M

-65.09%

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

$23.6K MX$411.7K

$53.5K ETB 8.5M

-55.85%

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

$40.53 MX$707

$158 ETB 25.3K

-74.40%

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

$27.38 MX$478

$12.11 ETB 1,934

126.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$530

$132 ETB 21.1K

-76.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$911

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$108

$5.64 ETB 900

9.75%

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

$425 MX$7,414

$81.5 ETB 13.0K

421.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$187.2K

$40.5K ETB 6.5M

-73.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

$47.27 ETB 7,549

23.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$777

$76.1 ETB 12.2K

-41.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,805

$92.8 ETB 14.8K

11.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,897

$116 ETB 18.6K

-6.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.7K

$494 ETB 78.9K

105.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$304 ETB 48.6K

104.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$37.0K

$988 ETB 157.7K

114.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.3K

$794 ETB 126.8K

54.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.4K

$101 ETB 16.2K

936.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-33.29%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Adama: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $494 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 937% 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 $35.00 in Adama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $266 – 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: $1,472 in Mexico City, $1,078 in Adama – roughly 37% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $1,617 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 $35.00 in Adama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $1,078, than in Mexico City at $1,472. 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 $1,078 in Adama to $1,472 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.