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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $978 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,407 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,835 in Cotonou.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 52% more expensive than Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Cotonou is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$3.47 F CFA 1,948

274.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$26.93 F CFA 15.1K

97.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$5.24 F CFA 2,940

85.50%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$5.52 F CFA 3,097

-32.07%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.86 F CFA 483

82.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.78 F CFA 435

44.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.45 F CFA 814

119.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$3.49 F CFA 1,956

33.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.65 F CFA 1,486

-38.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.38 F CFA 774

96.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.85 F CFA 1,037

1.62%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.18 F CFA 1,221

15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$9.23 F CFA 5,179

9.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.93 F CFA 2,763

68.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$5.13 F CFA 2,877

132.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$3.89 F CFA 2,183

-26.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.37 F CFA 771

27.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.27 F CFA 710

63.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.77 F CFA 991

11.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.41 F CFA 789

53.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.45 F CFA 811

50.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.48 F CFA 267

189.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.28 F CFA 718

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.33 F CFA 1,309

80.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$6.52 F CFA 3,659

118.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.24 F CFA 698

41.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.28 F CFA 1,281

61.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.80 F CFA 1,012

-78.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.44 F CFA 810

-3.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.26 F CFA 705

-76.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$1.79 F CFA 1,005

202.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.06 F CFA 595

27.36%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$24.3K F CFA 13.6M

-4.68%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$269 F CFA 150.9K

-84.83%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$44.80 F CFA 25.1K

-38.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$55.5 F CFA 31.1K

-45.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$58.9 F CFA 33.0K

-9.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$5.44 F CFA 3,051

383.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$7.53 F CFA 4,221

-16.73%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$189 F CFA 106.1K

130.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$6,522 F CFA 3.7M

60.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$17.58 F CFA 9,863

222.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$8.64 F CFA 4,846

418.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$9.04 F CFA 5,070

1037.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$49.26 F CFA 27.6K

119.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$202 F CFA 113.3K

395.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$149 F CFA 83.6K

316.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$577 F CFA 323.7K

270.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$285 F CFA 159.7K

333.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $202 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $27.00 in Cotonou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $214 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 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,225 in Mexico City and $1,467 in Cotonou to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $202 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,484 per month in Mexico City versus $978 in Cotonou – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $978 in Cotonou versus $1,484 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 52% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.