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 $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $1,037 in Ikeja, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,658 in Ikeja, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $2,280 in Ikeja, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 40% more than Ikeja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Ikeja is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$1.50 ₦2,041

765.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$32.81 ₦44.6K

60.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$5.29 ₦7,187

78.26%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.10 ₦2,852

70.00%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.33 ₦453

387.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.20 ₦272

475.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$0.80 ₦1,088

293.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$1.45 ₦1,972

235.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.19 ₦2,979

-22.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.24 ₦1,685

112.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.26 ₦3,073

-15.93%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.71 ₦2,320

48.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$6.22 ₦8,460

62.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.20 ₦5,716

97.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$5.43 ₦7,380

113.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.49 ₦4,742

-13.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.05 ₦2,782

-16.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.17 ₦2,956

-5.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$2.37 ₦3,227

-13.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$2.29 ₦3,114

-10.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.03 ₦2,763

6.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$2.02 ₦2,745

-30.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.36 ₦483

211.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$1.29 ₦1,760

232.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$2.53 ₦3,445

509.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$0.69 ₦933

142.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$0.90 ₦1,219

310.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.31 ₦428

22.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$9.93 ₦13.5K

91.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.24 ₦1,684

11.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$2.16 ₦2,936

-87.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$4.60 ₦6,257

17.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.39 ₦525

228.21%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$20.1K ₦27.4M

-5.71%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$20.8K ₦28.2M

12.96%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$41.16 ₦56.0K

-0.34%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$10.23 ₦13.9K

163.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$33.71 ₦45.8K

-11.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$6.48 ₦8,818

-4.63%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$81.9 ₦111.4K

421.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$2,268 ₦3.1M

371.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$19.03 ₦25.9K

198.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$24.91 ₦33.9K

79.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$63.6 ₦86.5K

64.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$56.5 ₦76.8K

87.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$827 ₦1.1M

20.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$615 ₦836.0K

1.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$1,930 ₦2.6M

10.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$1,198 ₦1.6M

4.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$73.8 ₦100.4K

1399.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

16.33

-30.56%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ikeja: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $827 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 1400% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $33.00 in Ikeja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $190 – 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

Mexico City costs about 40% more than Ikeja, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,555 in Ikeja. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 51% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City and $33.00 in Ikeja. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ikeja, where all-in costs run around $1,037, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Ikeja it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ikeja costs $1,037 versus $1,447 in Mexico City. 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 Ikeja. 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.