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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,327 in Dakar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $2,194 in Dakar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $3,061 in Dakar.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 11% more expensive than Dakar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Dakar is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$5.42 F CFA 3,058

143.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$53.3 F CFA 30.1K

1.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$10.21 F CFA 5,755

-7.74%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$4.43 F CFA 2,498

-19.86%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.86 F CFA 484

88.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$1.09 F CFA 615

1.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$2.57 F CFA 1,450

21.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$4.36 F CFA 2,457

6.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$2.52 F CFA 1,423

-32.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.64 F CFA 360

325.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.61 F CFA 906

18.63%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.88 F CFA 1,625

-11.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$12.78 F CFA 7,209

-21.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$9.50 F CFA 5,357

-14.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$10.76 F CFA 6,069

7.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.72 F CFA 1,536

9.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.99 F CFA 1,121

-9.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$2.61 F CFA 1,473

-22.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$2.08 F CFA 1,174

-2.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.50 F CFA 844

41.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.34 F CFA 758

69.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.06 F CFA 600

32.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.82 F CFA 460

37.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$1.61 F CFA 908

165.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$15.38 F CFA 8,674

1.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.18 F CFA 667

49.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.22 F CFA 1,254

62.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.36 F CFA 204

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$80.5 F CFA 45.4K

-76.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$2.68 F CFA 1,514

-48.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$2.83 F CFA 1,598

-90.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

-69.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.71 F CFA 963

-23.98%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$36.1K F CFA 20.4M

-48.21%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$49.2K F CFA 27.8M

-53.03%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$138 F CFA 78.0K

-70.47%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$9.92 F CFA 5,597

170.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$50.4 F CFA 28.4K

-40.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$56.4 F CFA 31.8K

-7.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$21.41 F CFA 12.1K

25.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$9.02 F CFA 5,086

-30.16%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$272 F CFA 153.4K

60.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$7,169 F CFA 4.0M

45.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$68.6 F CFA 38.7K

-17.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$43.93 F CFA 24.8K

1.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$103 F CFA 58.2K

-0.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$131 F CFA 74.1K

-19.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$914 F CFA 515.2K

11.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$369 F CFA 208.2K

70.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$1,863 F CFA 1.1M

14.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$938 F CFA 528.9K

32.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$4,996 F CFA 2.8M

-21.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,491 F CFA 841.1K

38.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$431 F CFA 243.2K

158.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

8.25

37.45%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dakar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $914 in Dakar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 159% 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 $53.0 in Dakar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $276 per month, with Dakar 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 Dakar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Dakar differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $1,327 including rent). Dakar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 159% 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $914 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $1,327 in Dakar – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dakar runs roughly 320% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,327 in Dakar versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dakar but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Dakar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Dakar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.