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: $1,448 in Mexico City versus $969 in Cotonou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,354 in Mexico City versus $1,393 in Cotonou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Mexico City versus $1,816 in Cotonou.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 49% more expensive than Cotonou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Cotonou is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$3.57 F CFA 2,017

263.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$26.18 F CFA 14.8K

99.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$5.41 F CFA 3,053

79.11%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$5.62 F CFA 3,171

-33.27%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$0.92 F CFA 522

69.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$0.72 F CFA 404

61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$1.43 F CFA 809

126.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$3.50 F CFA 1,976

40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$2.66 F CFA 1,504

-36.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$1.42 F CFA 803

88.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$1.92 F CFA 1,086

-1.56%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$2.24 F CFA 1,266

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$9.36 F CFA 5,284

7.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$4.85 F CFA 2,737

75.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$4.96 F CFA 2,797

140.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$4.02 F CFA 2,269

-26.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$1.44 F CFA 815

24.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$1.26 F CFA 709

58.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$1.82 F CFA 1,028

7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$1.34 F CFA 756

61.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$1.48 F CFA 837

53.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$0.48 F CFA 270

191.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$1.23 F CFA 693

-9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$2.32 F CFA 1,307

81.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$4.53 F CFA 2,556

265.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$1.24 F CFA 701

35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$2.21 F CFA 1,249

62.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$1.81 F CFA 1,021

-78.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$1.38 F CFA 778

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$1.31 F CFA 737

-77.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$1.72 F CFA 970

213.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$1.11 F CFA 626

16.22%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$24.4K F CFA 13.8M

-2.40%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$269 F CFA 152.0K

-85.19%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$44.74 F CFA 25.3K

-37.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$56.0 F CFA 31.6K

-46.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$60.0 F CFA 33.9K

-13.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

$5.40 F CFA 3,046

385.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$7.72 F CFA 4,356

-18.78%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$190 F CFA 107.3K

127.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$6,481 F CFA 3.7M

62.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$17.36 F CFA 9,797

228.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$9.01 F CFA 5,087

403.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$8.61 F CFA 4,862

1083.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$47.92 F CFA 27.0K

126.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$200 F CFA 113.0K

396.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$148 F CFA 83.8K

315.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$584 F CFA 329.4K

257.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$283 F CFA 159.7K

343.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Cotonou: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $994 in Mexico City and $200 in Cotonou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $26.00 in Cotonou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $211 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 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,173 in Mexico City and $1,454 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: $994 in Mexico City versus $200 in Cotonou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,448 per month in Mexico City versus $969 in Cotonou – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $969 in Cotonou versus $1,448 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 49% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.