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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,470 in Dakar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $2,312 in Dakar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $3,154 in Dakar.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 12% more expensive than in Dakar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 20% above, Dakar 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$5.22 F CFA 2,943

131.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$55.8 F CFA 31.5K

-6.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$11.44 F CFA 6,446

-4.72%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$3.56 F CFA 2,006

13.76%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$1.25 F CFA 707

37.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$0.89 F CFA 501

55.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$2.61 F CFA 1,470

32.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$4.38 F CFA 2,467

32.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$2.85 F CFA 1,604

-35.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$0.77 F CFA 434

318.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$1.77 F CFA 996

18.08%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$2.54 F CFA 1,431

14.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$17.81 F CFA 10.0K

-29.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$9.26 F CFA 5,220

9.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$11.35 F CFA 6,395

40.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$3.35 F CFA 1,886

-1.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$2.01 F CFA 1,136

5.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$2.97 F CFA 1,674

-26.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$1.87 F CFA 1,054

31.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$1.39 F CFA 784

57.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$0.99 F CFA 556

91.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$1.14 F CFA 642

42.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$0.67 F CFA 378

101.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$2.17 F CFA 1,225

150.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$18.05 F CFA 10.2K

-2.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$1.62 F CFA 911

27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$3.37 F CFA 1,897

40.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$0.38 F CFA 215

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

$81.3 F CFA 45.8K

-73.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

$2.25 F CFA 1,270

-9.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$2.25 F CFA 1,267

-74.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

-66.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$1.68 F CFA 946

-3.57%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

$52.4K F CFA 29.5M

-56.45%

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

$49.8K F CFA 28.1M

-46.51%

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$213 F CFA 119.9K

-69.33%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$11.99 F CFA 6,756

149.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$47.19 F CFA 26.6K

-22.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$46.17 F CFA 26.0K

32.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$24.08 F CFA 13.6K

10.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$8.72 F CFA 4,916

-21.44%

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

$453 MX$7,664

$330 F CFA 186.1K

37.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$10.8K F CFA 6.1M

24.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$59.7 F CFA 33.6K

25.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$47.50 F CFA 26.8K

16.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$89.6 F CFA 50.5K

26.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$100 F CFA 56.4K

22.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$841 F CFA 474.1K

34.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$445 F CFA 250.8K

60.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

$1,781 F CFA 1.0M

44.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$957 F CFA 539.4K

37.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$4,987 F CFA 2.8M

-19.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$1,582 F CFA 891.6K

32.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$352 F CFA 198.4K

197.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

8.75

29.14%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Dakar: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $841 in Dakar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 197% 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 $56.0 in Dakar. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $307, with Dakar cheaper for home cooking.

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 12% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $1,470 including rent). Dakar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 197% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $841 in Dakar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,646 per month in Mexico City versus $1,470 in Dakar – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dakar runs roughly 277% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,470 in Dakar versus $1,646 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 12% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.