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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,448 per month in Mexico City vs $1,653 in Douala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Mexico City vs $2,636 in Douala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Mexico City vs $3,620 in Douala, rent included.

Mexico City is about 12% cheaper than Douala, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Mexico City and Douala sit above the global median – Mexico City by 9%, Douala by 24%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$8.78 FCFA 4,958

47.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$125 FCFA 70.8K

-58.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$5.23 FCFA 2,952

85.28%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$1.89 FCFA 1,070

98.41%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$1.64 FCFA 929

-4.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$0.80 FCFA 452

45.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$1.14 FCFA 641

184.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$2.58 FCFA 1,456

89.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$2.82 FCFA 1,594

-39.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$0.42 FCFA 237

535.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$2.30 FCFA 1,296

-17.83%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$1.93 FCFA 1,091

30.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$23.40 FCFA 13.2K

-57.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$7.84 FCFA 4,427

8.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$6.34 FCFA 3,576

88.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$4.96 FCFA 2,799

-40.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$2.14 FCFA 1,210

-16.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$2.13 FCFA 1,203

-6.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$1.35 FCFA 763

45.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$3.29 FCFA 1,859

-34.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$2.18 FCFA 1,232

4.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$0.74 FCFA 415

89.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$0.67 FCFA 377

65.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$3.54 FCFA 2,000

18.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$8.53 FCFA 4,814

93.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$1.35 FCFA 761

24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$1.90 FCFA 1,073

88.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$0.68 FCFA 386

-42.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

$17.62 FCFA 9,944

8.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$0.51 FCFA 285

170.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$0.75 FCFA 426

-60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$8.30 FCFA 4,687

-35.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$1.42 FCFA 800

-9.15%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$30.5K FCFA 17.2M

-38.06%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$16.1K FCFA 9.1M

48.05%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$166 FCFA 93.8K

-76.01%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$26.06 FCFA 14.7K

6.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$180 FCFA 101.3K

-83.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$23.22 FCFA 13.1K

123.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

$3.43 FCFA 1,936

664.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$9.03 FCFA 5,094

-30.56%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$542 FCFA 306.1K

-20.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$3,498 FCFA 2.0M

201.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$81.1 FCFA 45.8K

-29.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$68.3 FCFA 38.6K

-33.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$142 FCFA 80.3K

-28.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$157 FCFA 88.4K

-30.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$898 FCFA 506.8K

10.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$583 FCFA 328.8K

5.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$1,942 FCFA 1.1M

7.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$1,131 FCFA 638.5K

11.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

$2,085 FCFA 1.2M

88.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

$997 FCFA 562.8K

109.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

$166 FCFA 93.5K

583.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

19.21

-40.97%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Douala: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Mexico City versus $898 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 run about 583% higher in Mexico City, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $125 in Douala. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Mexico City vs $284 in Douala – so Douala wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – Douala is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,173 per month in Mexico City and $2,479 in Douala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Douala – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City and $125 in Douala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,448, than in Douala at $1,653. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Douala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mexico City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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