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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $2,439 in Ikeja, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $4,172 in Ikeja, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $5,905 in Ikeja, rent included.

Mexico City is about 32% cheaper than Ikeja, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mexico City and Ikeja sit above the global median – Mexico City by 21%, Ikeja by 78%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$0.55 ₦729

2067.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$11.09 ₦14.7K

365.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.60 ₦10.1K

50.13%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$2.85 ₦3,791

40.00%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$0.12 ₦154

1283.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.08 ₦113

1562.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$0.31 ₦417

1019.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.01 ₦2,672

193.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$0.76 ₦1,012

147.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$0.79 ₦1,045

311.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$1.26 ₦1,670

71.43%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$2.28 ₦3,029

27.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$3.64 ₦4,834

253.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.94 ₦5,238

155.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$4.55 ₦6,050

248.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$1.69 ₦2,245

94.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$1.24 ₦1,643

62.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.15 ₦1,530

91.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$1.27 ₦1,694

85.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$1.38 ₦1,827

48.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$1.31 ₦1,740

45.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$0.90 ₦1,194

78.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.37 ₦491

278.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$0.56 ₦743

875.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$2.72 ₦3,611

548.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$0.55 ₦725

274.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$0.49 ₦657

855.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.13 ₦167

161.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

$3.48 ₦4,617

497.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.67 ₦884

213.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.91 ₦1,208

-38.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$2.18 ₦2,891

166.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.16 ₦209

906.25%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$11.2K ₦14.9M

103.71%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$13.8K ₦18.4M

93.30%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$110 ₦146.4K

-40.85%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$16.24 ₦21.6K

85.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$32.10 ₦42.6K

15.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.89 ₦6,495

43.97%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$663 ₦880.4K

-29.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$19.8K ₦26.3M

-33.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$14.44 ₦19.2K

425.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$18.17 ₦24.1K

207.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$35.88 ₦47.7K

211.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$48.93 ₦65.0K

146.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$3,471 ₦4.6M

-68.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$1,968 ₦2.6M

-63.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$6,566 ₦8.7M

-61.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$4,907 ₦6.5M

-73.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$74.9 ₦99.5K

1285.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

18.05

-37.40%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ikeja: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $3,471 in Ikeja. 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 1285% 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 $11.00 in Ikeja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $125 – making Ikeja the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Ikeja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ikeja costs about 47% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $3,658 in Ikeja. 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 177% cheaper in Ikeja – 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 $11.00 in Ikeja. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,660, than in Ikeja at $2,439. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ikeja it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,660 versus $2,439 in Ikeja. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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