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 $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $528 in Jos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,094 in Jos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $1,660 in Jos, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 218% more than Jos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while Jos is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$2.14 ₦2,835

467.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$916

$29.30 ₦38.8K

83.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$4.60 ₦6,094

141.09%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.6

$3.40 ₦4,508

20.59%

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

$1.68 MX$28.57

$0.55 ₦730

205.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.58

$0.70 ₦928

98.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.6

$1.07 ₦1,421

211.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.9

$2.10 ₦2,779

180.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.45

$3.63 ₦4,811

-49.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.9

$0.85 ₦1,128

272.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.18

$2.25 ₦2,979

-8.00%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.74

$1.86 ₦2,461

57.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$9.99 ₦13.2K

26.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$5.12 ₦6,780

97.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$4.02 ₦5,324

300.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.6

$1.98 ₦2,622

71.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.31

$1.49 ₦1,975

39.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.02

$1.53 ₦2,026

38.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$41.01

$2.29 ₦3,028

5.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.17

$1.80 ₦2,381

18.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.07

$2.43 ₦3,222

-17.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$0.58 ₦769

167.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.19

$0.37 ₦488

267.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$98.0

$2.04 ₦2,697

182.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$5.77 ₦7,642

207.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.16

$1.23 ₦1,632

68.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.4

$1.79 ₦2,378

157.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$360

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.89

$0.58 ₦774

253.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.80

$0.80 ₦1,054

-27.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$1.83 ₦2,427

231.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.38

$0.58 ₦768

167.24%

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

$22.9K MX$388.6K

$26.5K ₦35.1M

-13.59%

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

$27.2K MX$462.7K

$18.3K ₦24.3M

48.61%

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

$67.4 MX$1,145

$101 ₦134.5K

-33.57%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$6.36 ₦8,428

381.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$633

$28.56 ₦37.9K

30.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,044

$39.25 ₦52.0K

56.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$461

$12.21 ₦16.2K

122.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$4.92 ₦6,523

44.51%

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

$456 MX$7,750

$44.31 ₦58.7K

929.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.6K

$1,017 ₦1.3M

1247.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,260

$9.88 ₦13.1K

650.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$969

$15.03 ₦19.9K

279.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,961

$50.9 ₦67.4K

126.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,064

$49.03 ₦65.0K

147.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.8K

$549 ₦727.6K

369.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$488 ₦646.9K

165.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$68.0K

$2,040 ₦2.7M

96.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.2K

$1,481 ₦2.0M

43.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$100 ₦132.6K

981.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

22.5

-49.78%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Jos: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 981% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $29.00 in Jos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $203 – 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: $1,677 in Mexico City, $528 in Jos – roughly 218% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $792 in Jos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $29.00 in Jos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 69% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jos, where all-in costs run around $528, than in Mexico City at $1,677. 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 $528 in Jos to $1,677 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.