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 $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,382 in Douala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $2,200 in Douala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $3,018 in Douala, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 20% more than Douala, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Mexico City and Douala sit above the global median – Mexico City by 21%, Douala by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$4.35 FCFA 2,486

174.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$123 FCFA 70.1K

-57.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.18 FCFA 4,100

58.91%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.10 FCFA 1,200

90.00%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$1.72 FCFA 985

-3.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.81 FCFA 461

64.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.26 FCFA 720

175.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.62 FCFA 1,496

125.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$2.96 FCFA 1,693

-36.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.42 FCFA 239

673.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$2.32 FCFA 1,326

-6.90%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.01 FCFA 1,147

44.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$23.14 FCFA 13.2K

-44.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$8.02 FCFA 4,582

25.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$6.52 FCFA 3,728

143.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$4.73 FCFA 2,702

-30.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$2.17 FCFA 1,238

-7.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.15 FCFA 1,227

2.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.43 FCFA 815

65.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$3.28 FCFA 1,877

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$2.24 FCFA 1,278

-15.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.72 FCFA 413

123.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.65 FCFA 371

115.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.67 FCFA 1,527

104.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.88 FCFA 5,073

98.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.52 FCFA 870

35.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.85 FCFA 1,059

152.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.65 FCFA 370

-47.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$17.44 FCFA 9,968

19.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.59 FCFA 338

255.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.91 FCFA 521

-38.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$8.22 FCFA 4,698

-29.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.45 FCFA 827

11.03%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$30.4K FCFA 17.3M

-24.75%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$16.1K FCFA 9.2M

65.98%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$165 FCFA 94.0K

-60.40%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$26.52 FCFA 15.2K

13.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$185 FCFA 105.6K

-79.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$42.26 FCFA 24.1K

41.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$9.02 FCFA 5,157

-21.95%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$539 FCFA 307.9K

-13.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$3,461 FCFA 2.0M

283.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$80.8 FCFA 46.2K

-6.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$68.2 FCFA 39.0K

-17.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$145 FCFA 82.8K

-22.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$155 FCFA 88.8K

-22.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$566 FCFA 323.6K

94.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$331 FCFA 189.4K

117.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$1,385 FCFA 791.5K

82.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$560 FCFA 320.1K

130.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$2,067 FCFA 1.2M

93.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$990 FCFA 565.5K

111.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$232 FCFA 132.5K

347.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

19.04

-40.65%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Douala: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $566 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 347% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $123 in Douala. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Mexico City vs $287 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 – Mexico City is pricier by about 20%, 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 $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $2,073 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City and $123 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 $1,382, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Douala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Douala – 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 Douala. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.