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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $997 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,426 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,854 in Cotonou.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 48% more expensive than in Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Cotonou is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$3.46 F CFA 1,967

279.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$26.77 F CFA 15.2K

99.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$5.16 F CFA 2,927

80.81%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$5.56 F CFA 3,154

-33.45%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.86 F CFA 488

86.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.79 F CFA 446

41.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.40 F CFA 794

124.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$3.61 F CFA 2,047

34.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$2.58 F CFA 1,462

-36.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.44 F CFA 815

88.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.92 F CFA 1,092

-0.52%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.22 F CFA 1,263

16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$9.25 F CFA 5,253

6.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$5.05 F CFA 2,869

66.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$5.16 F CFA 2,929

131.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.88 F CFA 2,202

-23.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.37 F CFA 779

27.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.21 F CFA 689

68.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.74 F CFA 988

18.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.34 F CFA 761

60.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.50 F CFA 853

50.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.51 F CFA 291

172.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$1.23 F CFA 700

-8.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.35 F CFA 1,332

79.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$4.28 F CFA 2,430

309.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.20 F CFA 681

42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.29 F CFA 1,301

58.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$1.80 F CFA 1,023

-80.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$1.38 F CFA 784

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.25 F CFA 707

-77.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$1.74 F CFA 988

203.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.11 F CFA 631

22.52%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$24.9K F CFA 14.1M

-5.11%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$266 F CFA 151.1K

-84.77%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$43.54 F CFA 24.7K

-37.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$56.1 F CFA 31.8K

-45.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$58.8 F CFA 33.4K

-11.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$5.40 F CFA 3,066

390.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$7.51 F CFA 4,266

-17.58%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$185 F CFA 104.8K

130.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$6,379 F CFA 3.6M

68.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$17.45 F CFA 9,907

234.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$8.70 F CFA 4,939

412.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$9.04 F CFA 5,134

1044.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$49.16 F CFA 27.9K

121.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$199 F CFA 113.0K

409.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$149 F CFA 84.6K

317.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$571 F CFA 324.3K

271.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$283 F CFA 160.6K

332.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$171 F CFA 97.3K

514.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

126.80%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $199 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 514% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $27.00 in Cotonou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $209 per month, with Cotonou 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 Cotonou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotonou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 514% 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $199 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,472 per month in Mexico City versus $997 in Cotonou – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $997 in Cotonou versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cotonou but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Cotonou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cotonou is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cotonou 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.