Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Douala

For one person, living is cheaper in Douala: $1,334 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Mexico City outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

78

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
64

Cost of Living Index in Douala
Learn more

Douala Living Index

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Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Douala

🇨🇲 Cameroon

$1,334

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Douala

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Douala actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,334 in Douala, rent included.

Mexico City $1,608
Douala $1,334

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Mexico City vs $2,160 in Douala, rent included.

Mexico City $2,549
Douala $2,160

A family of three spends $3,490 per month in Mexico City vs $2,985 in Douala, rent included.

Mexico City $3,490
Douala $2,985

Mexico City costs about 20% more than Douala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Mexico City sits 18% above the global median, while Douala is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.62 MX$199

$4.37 FCFA 2,558

143.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.35 MX$906

$122 FCFA 71.1K

-60.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.35 MX$194

$6.93 FCFA 4,053

49.35%

Cappuccino

$3.69 MX$69.2

$2.13 FCFA 1,246

73.24%

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

$1.67 MX$31.23

$1.64 FCFA 960

1.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.71

$0.76 FCFA 445

67.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$59.8

$1.20 FCFA 704

165.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 MX$99.5

$2.61 FCFA 1,528

103.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MX$32.32

$2.90 FCFA 1,698

-40.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 MX$57.0

$0.41 FCFA 238

641.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.38

$2.18 FCFA 1,277

-11.01%

Eggs

$2.89 MX$54.1

$1.85 FCFA 1,082

56.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 MX$206

$22.34 FCFA 13.1K

-50.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 MX$173

$7.87 FCFA 4,604

17.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 MX$283

$6.18 FCFA 3,614

144.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 MX$57.1

$4.60 FCFA 2,692

-33.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.38

$2.03 FCFA 1,185

-4.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 MX$37.95

$2.08 FCFA 1,215

-2.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 MX$43.38

$1.38 FCFA 809

67.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$38.14

$3.18 FCFA 1,860

-35.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 MX$33.73

$2.15 FCFA 1,260

-16.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$27.72

$0.76 FCFA 443

94.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.75

$0.67 FCFA 391

89.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 MX$99.4

$2.53 FCFA 1,478

109.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.10 MX$302

$8.59 FCFA 5,024

87.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$37.16

$1.40 FCFA 821

41.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MX$79.7

$1.78 FCFA 1,041

138.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 MX$5.72

$0.66 FCFA 388

-53.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 MX$370

$17.06 FCFA 9,978

15.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MX$34.44

$0.58 FCFA 338

217.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$10.00

$0.81 FCFA 476

-34.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MX$99.2

$8.33 FCFA 4,871

-36.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$28.31

$1.41 FCFA 824

7.09%

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

$21.8K MX$407.7K

$29.4K FCFA 17.2M

-26.11%

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

$24.0K MX$449.5K

$15.6K FCFA 9.1M

53.59%

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

$63.0 MX$1,180

$162 FCFA 94.9K

-61.17%

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

$27.39 MX$513

$25.14 FCFA 14.7K

8.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.67 MX$668

$178 FCFA 103.9K

-79.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 MX$1,105

$41.23 FCFA 24.1K

42.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.64 MX$443

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$120

$8.77 FCFA 5,129

-27.02%

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

$432 MX$8,088

$505 FCFA 295.5K

-14.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K MX$214.1K

$3,387 FCFA 2.0M

237.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 MX$1,278

$80.1 FCFA 46.8K

-14.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 MX$996

$68.1 FCFA 39.8K

-21.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MX$2,020

$136 FCFA 79.6K

-20.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MX$2,198

$147 FCFA 86.0K

-20.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 MX$20.9K

$567 FCFA 331.9K

96.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 MX$13.3K

$313 FCFA 183.0K

127.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 MX$48.5K

$1,338 FCFA 782.7K

93.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 MX$26.3K

$542 FCFA 316.9K

159.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,631 MX$68.0K

$1,976 FCFA 1.2M

83.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,135 MX$40.0K

$952 FCFA 556.8K

124.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$946 MX$17.7K

$222 FCFA 129.6K

326.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

19.04

-40.39%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Douala: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$710 44.2%

Douala

$313 23.4% 56% $398

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$320 19.9%

Douala

$277 20.8% 13.3% $42

Eating Out

Mexico City

$199 12.4%

Douala

$102 7.7% 48.5% $96

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$156 9.7%

Douala

$194 14.5% 24.5% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 7.8%

Douala

$365 27.4% 190% $239

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$72 4.5%

Douala

$59 4.4% 18.1% $13

Getting Around

Mexico City

$25 1.6%

Douala

$24 1.8% 4.3% $1.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,113 in Mexico City versus $567 in Douala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Mexico City are about 4.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Mexico City versus $122 in Douala. Groceries tell a different story – $320 in Mexico City vs $277 in Douala – so Douala wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇨🇲 Douala

🕒 Local time

11:29 11:29 AM

18:29 6:29 PM

7 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

2,000,000

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Central African CFA Franc XAF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.34 USD

100 MXN = 4.78 EUR

1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XAF, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.74 MXN (100 MXN = 5.34 USD). 1 EUR = 20.91 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 653 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mexico City Douala 11,820 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Douala

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Douala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,412 per month in Mexico City and $2,001 in Douala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Douala, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $567 there versus $1,113 in Mexico City.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Mexico City, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Mexico City and $122 in Douala. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Douala, where all-in costs run around $1,334, than in Mexico City at $1,608. In Douala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,334 in Douala to $1,608 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Douala. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.