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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $891 in Bamako.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,471 in Bamako.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,051 in Bamako.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 62% more expensive than Bamako, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Bamako is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$6.82 F CFA 3,879

90.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$919

$37.70 F CFA 21.4K

39.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$165

$6.26 F CFA 3,561

50.64%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$62.4

$1.90 F CFA 1,081

87.89%

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

$1.61 MX$28.04

$0.75 F CFA 424

114.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$20.16

$0.59 F CFA 337

94.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$2.41 F CFA 1,367

30.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$84.9

$21.40 F CFA 12.2K

-77.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.69

$2.29 F CFA 1,301

-25.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$46.03

$3.89 F CFA 2,212

-32.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.25

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.39

$6.72 F CFA 3,819

-62.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$17.94 F CFA 10.2K

-43.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$15.88 F CFA 9,027

-47.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$202

$12.33 F CFA 7,007

-6.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.9

$3.97 F CFA 2,258

-23.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.87

$1.02 F CFA 582

67.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.79

$2.89 F CFA 1,643

-29.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.98

$2.15 F CFA 1,220

-4.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$36.06

$1.34 F CFA 764

53.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.91

$1.36 F CFA 775

59.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.51

$0.10 F CFA 58.4

1300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.60

$2.77 F CFA 1,573

-59.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$75.0

$0.94 F CFA 536

356.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$29.25

$1.51 F CFA 860

10.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$64.4

$1.61 F CFA 916

129.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.67

$4.63 F CFA 2,630

-91.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$333

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.12

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.83

$1.27 F CFA 720

-77.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.37

$1.16 F CFA 659

10.34%

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

$19.0K MX$331.6K

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

$23.5K MX$409.8K

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

$41.02 MX$717

$151 F CFA 85.9K

-72.84%

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

$26.92 MX$470

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$519

$57.1 F CFA 32.5K

-48.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$914

$68.0 F CFA 38.7K

-23.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$458

$4.15 F CFA 2,360

532.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$108

$5.70 F CFA 3,242

8.42%

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

$427 MX$7,461

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$186.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$783

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,826

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,851

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.4K

$173 F CFA 98.3K

475.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.9K

$81.6 F CFA 46.4K

661.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$37.1K

$398 F CFA 226.2K

434.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.9K

$294 F CFA 167.2K

326.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$68.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.6K

$1,252 F CFA 711.6K

67.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.3K

$260 F CFA 147.8K

325.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bamako: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $173 in Bamako. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 326% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $38.00 in Bamako. Groceries flip the comparison at $288 vs $358, with Mexico City 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 Bamako: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bamako wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bamako the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Mexico City pays 326% 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 $173 in Bamako. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $891 in Bamako – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Mexico City pay roughly 25% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $891 in Bamako versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bamako but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Bamako the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bamako delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $891 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bamako hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Bamako gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.