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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $1,002 in Jos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,365 in Jos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,728 in Jos, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 48% more than Jos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Jos is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$1.29 ₦1,775

906.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$13.85 ₦19.1K

283.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$4.70 ₦6,472

106.81%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.33 ₦3,203

60.94%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.34 ₦474

361.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.25 ₦345

352.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$0.69 ₦948

360.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$3.65 ₦5,030

-55.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.95 ₦1,310

185.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$3.29 ₦4,528

-42.86%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.95 ₦4,062

-14.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$9.91 ₦13.6K

1.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.11 ₦7,042

62.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$4.59 ₦6,316

160.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$4.11 ₦5,653

-30.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$4.89 ₦6,734

-64.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.72 ₦3,748

-23.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$4.03 ₦5,543

-51.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$2.28 ₦3,143

-5.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.98 ₦2,720

10.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.64 ₦877

117.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.71 ₦982

57.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$3.98 ₦5,486

258.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$0.74 ₦1,012

137.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.01 ₦1,393

37.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$10.14 ₦14.0K

-46.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.96 ₦1,323

40.63%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

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

$40.82 MX$714

$98.7 ₦135.9K

-58.64%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$9.98 ₦13.7K

175.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$39.33 ₦54.2K

35.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$12.15 ₦16.7K

116.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$8.77 ₦12.1K

-28.51%

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

$436 MX$7,632

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$990 ₦1.4M

957.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$10.01 ₦13.8K

467.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$14.95 ₦20.6K

199.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$50.1 ₦69.0K

105.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$49.78 ₦68.5K

116.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$697 ₦959.0K

43.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$475 ₦654.6K

30.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$875 ₦1.2M

144.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$603 ₦829.6K

104.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$1,960 ₦2.7M

97.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$1,521 ₦2.1M

53.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$108 ₦149.3K

884.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Jos: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $697 in Jos. 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 885% 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 $14.00 in Jos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $255 – making Jos 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 Jos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City, $1,002 in Jos – roughly 48% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,504 in Jos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City and $14.00 in Jos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,484 in Mexico City and $1,002 in Jos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jos, where all-in costs run around $1,002, than in Mexico City at $1,484. In Jos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,002 in Jos to $1,484 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Jos. 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.