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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $1,650 in Douala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $2,687 in Douala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $3,723 in Douala, rent included.

Mexico City is about 11% 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 24%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$8.94 FCFA 5,077

46.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$126 FCFA 71.4K

-57.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$5.31 FCFA 3,012

75.71%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.81 FCFA 1,028

104.42%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.72 FCFA 978

-6.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.83 FCFA 474

34.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.17 FCFA 663

168.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.63 FCFA 1,491

84.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$2.84 FCFA 1,615

-41.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.45 FCFA 255

502.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$2.34 FCFA 1,330

-18.38%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.01 FCFA 1,139

28.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$23.23 FCFA 13.2K

-57.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$7.72 FCFA 4,383

9.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$6.62 FCFA 3,757

80.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$4.89 FCFA 2,775

-39.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$2.11 FCFA 1,197

-17.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$2.07 FCFA 1,177

-1.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.41 FCFA 801

46.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$3.30 FCFA 1,873

-34.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$2.27 FCFA 1,291

-0.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.78 FCFA 440

78.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.62 FCFA 353

80.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$3.44 FCFA 1,953

22.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$8.70 FCFA 4,941

101.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.42 FCFA 808

20.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$1.89 FCFA 1,074

92.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.64 FCFA 363

-45.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$17.56 FCFA 9,967

10.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.55 FCFA 310

150.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.82 FCFA 465

-65.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$8.51 FCFA 4,832

-37.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.41 FCFA 803

-3.55%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$30.9K FCFA 17.6M

-38.26%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$15.7K FCFA 8.9M

50.58%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$168 FCFA 95.2K

-75.82%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$26.17 FCFA 14.9K

4.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$183 FCFA 104.0K

-83.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$23.46 FCFA 13.3K

122.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$3.46 FCFA 1,966

665.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$8.65 FCFA 4,911

-28.44%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$541 FCFA 307.2K

-21.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$3,435 FCFA 2.0M

212.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$82.0 FCFA 46.5K

-28.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$69.6 FCFA 39.5K

-35.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$145 FCFA 82.1K

-28.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$154 FCFA 87.5K

-29.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$900 FCFA 511.2K

12.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$594 FCFA 337.2K

4.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$1,908 FCFA 1.1M

11.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$1,114 FCFA 632.5K

9.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$2,048 FCFA 1.2M

85.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$978 FCFA 555.4K

115.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$211 FCFA 119.9K

398.23%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Douala: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $900 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 398% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $126 in Douala. Groceries tell a different story – $293 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 12%, 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 $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $2,476 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 $54.0 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 $1,472, than in Douala at $1,650. 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.