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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,318 in Dakar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $2,218 in Dakar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $3,117 in Dakar.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Dakar is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$5.43 F CFA 3,117

140.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$52.2 F CFA 30.0K

2.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$10.20 F CFA 5,856

-5.10%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$4.37 F CFA 2,512

-14.42%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.89 F CFA 512

82.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$1.08 F CFA 620

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.70 F CFA 1,552

19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$4.51 F CFA 2,587

5.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$2.57 F CFA 1,476

-35.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.67 F CFA 385

310.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.62 F CFA 928

15.43%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.76 F CFA 1,584

-9.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$12.68 F CFA 7,278

-19.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$9.44 F CFA 5,421

-12.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$10.61 F CFA 6,094

11.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.80 F CFA 1,605

7.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.98 F CFA 1,138

-8.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$2.58 F CFA 1,483

-22.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$2.14 F CFA 1,228

-6.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.54 F CFA 883

35.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.34 F CFA 772

69.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.07 F CFA 615

36.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.82 F CFA 469

31.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$1.55 F CFA 893

180.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$17.02 F CFA 9,773

-0.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.13 F CFA 649

53.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.23 F CFA 1,283

60.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.36 F CFA 208

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$79.0 F CFA 45.3K

-76.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$2.58 F CFA 1,480

-48.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$2.80 F CFA 1,608

-90.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$17.55 F CFA 10.1K

-70.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.78 F CFA 1,022

-24.72%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$36.9K F CFA 21.2M

-47.37%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$50.1K F CFA 28.7M

-52.40%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$140 F CFA 80.2K

-70.86%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$9.57 F CFA 5,494

180.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$49.00 F CFA 28.1K

-37.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$55.5 F CFA 31.9K

-4.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$21.51 F CFA 12.4K

23.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$8.75 F CFA 5,024

-25.60%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$268 F CFA 153.7K

59.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$7,349 F CFA 4.2M

42.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$68.1 F CFA 39.1K

-15.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$43.58 F CFA 25.0K

4.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$105 F CFA 60.2K

-0.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$128 F CFA 73.8K

-16.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$931 F CFA 534.4K

7.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$369 F CFA 211.7K

68.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$1,907 F CFA 1.1M

10.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$933 F CFA 535.4K

30.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$5,047 F CFA 2.9M

-23.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$1,444 F CFA 829.2K

40.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$420 F CFA 241.3K

146.93%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Dakar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $931 in Dakar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 147% 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 $52.0 in Dakar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $279 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 ($1,456 vs $1,318 including rent). Dakar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 147% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $931 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $1,318 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 323% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,318 in Dakar versus $1,456 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.