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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $946 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,477 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,009 in Cotonou.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 75% more expensive than in Cotonou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Cotonou is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$5.34 F CFA 3,052

123.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$36.50 F CFA 20.9K

41.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$9.92 F CFA 5,668

15.02%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$5.12 F CFA 2,927

-22.07%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$1.05 F CFA 599

58.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.91 F CFA 519

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$0.86 F CFA 491

303.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.69 F CFA 1,538

119.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$3.17 F CFA 1,814

-40.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.28 F CFA 731

153.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.88 F CFA 1,074

14.89%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.81 F CFA 1,605

3.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$9.66 F CFA 5,522

33.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.66 F CFA 3,232

77.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$5.19 F CFA 2,963

205.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$4.32 F CFA 2,466

-23.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.93 F CFA 1,105

4.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.34 F CFA 764

64.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$2.78 F CFA 1,590

-15.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.30 F CFA 741

57.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.80 F CFA 1,031

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.45 F CFA 257

257.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$1.16 F CFA 663

20.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$3.44 F CFA 1,963

58.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$4.29 F CFA 2,451

311.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.22 F CFA 695

68.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.89 F CFA 1,079

147.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$1.36 F CFA 776

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.38 F CFA 788

52.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.44 F CFA 821

-61.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.23 F CFA 701

30.89%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$25.1K F CFA 14.3M

6.62%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$151 F CFA 86.1K

-56.72%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$35.44 F CFA 20.2K

-15.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$49.28 F CFA 28.2K

-24.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$49.48 F CFA 28.3K

20.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$3.54 F CFA 2,025

650.00%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$8.86 F CFA 5,061

-20.54%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$137 F CFA 78.0K

240.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$5,660 F CFA 3.2M

134.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$25.92 F CFA 14.8K

192.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$34.87 F CFA 19.9K

220.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$70.6 F CFA 40.3K

70.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$182 F CFA 103.9K

506.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$175 F CFA 99.8K

312.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$614 F CFA 351.0K

311.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$429 F CFA 245.2K

201.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$261 F CFA 149.2K

297.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

182.50%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $182 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 297% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $37.00 in Cotonou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $230 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 297% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $182 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $946 in Cotonou – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $946 in Cotonou versus $1,660 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 75% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.