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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $1,636 in Douala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $2,621 in Douala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $3,606 in Douala, rent included.

Mexico City is about 9% cheaper than Douala, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Mexico City and Douala sit above the global median – Mexico City by 11%, Douala by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$9.02 FCFA 5,062

43.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$126 FCFA 70.4K

-57.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$5.15 FCFA 2,890

88.74%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.89 FCFA 1,062

98.41%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$1.68 FCFA 941

-6.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.83 FCFA 467

36.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.18 FCFA 660

169.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.66 FCFA 1,492

75.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.90 FCFA 1,627

-44.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.45 FCFA 250

502.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$2.24 FCFA 1,258

-16.07%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.91 FCFA 1,069

31.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$22.75 FCFA 12.8K

-55.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$7.72 FCFA 4,329

7.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$6.58 FCFA 3,690

81.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$4.94 FCFA 2,773

-42.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$2.10 FCFA 1,177

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.09 FCFA 1,171

-0.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.36 FCFA 762

44.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$3.38 FCFA 1,897

-36.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.24 FCFA 1,256

-2.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.73 FCFA 408

90.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.67 FCFA 375

67.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$3.59 FCFA 2,011

16.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$8.32 FCFA 4,669

71.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.35 FCFA 758

30.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.95 FCFA 1,092

88.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.65 FCFA 362

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$17.48 FCFA 9,807

6.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.55 FCFA 306

152.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.76 FCFA 426

-60.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$8.19 FCFA 4,592

-33.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.37 FCFA 768

-1.46%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$31.0K FCFA 17.4M

-39.18%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$16.0K FCFA 9.0M

44.47%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$170 FCFA 95.2K

-75.94%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$25.96 FCFA 14.6K

5.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$182 FCFA 101.9K

-83.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$23.43 FCFA 13.1K

128.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$3.47 FCFA 1,948

657.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$8.60 FCFA 4,822

-27.09%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$530 FCFA 297.3K

-17.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$3,540 FCFA 2.0M

195.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$81.1 FCFA 45.5K

-30.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$70.3 FCFA 39.4K

-36.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$142 FCFA 79.4K

-27.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$153 FCFA 86.0K

-29.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$915 FCFA 513.0K

9.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$585 FCFA 328.3K

5.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$1,889 FCFA 1.1M

13.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$1,129 FCFA 633.3K

9.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$2,108 FCFA 1.2M

83.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$1,005 FCFA 563.8K

132.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$163 FCFA 91.6K

553.30%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Douala: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $915 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 553% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $126 in Douala. Groceries tell a different story – $286 in Mexico City vs $282 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 10%, 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 $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $2,454 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 1% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City and $126 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 $1,484, than in Douala at $1,636. 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.