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 $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $985 in Jos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,362 in Jos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $1,739 in Jos, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 47% more than Jos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Jos is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$1.31 ₦1,782

890.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$13.94 ₦18.9K

277.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$4.60 ₦6,256

105.00%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.37 ₦3,224

50.63%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.37 ₦507

335.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.23 ₦310

400.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$0.74 ₦1,001

325.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$3.53 ₦4,798

-51.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.89 ₦1,212

196.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$3.28 ₦4,458

-42.07%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.92 ₦3,970

-13.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$9.98 ₦13.6K

1.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.95 ₦6,726

67.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$4.56 ₦6,195

153.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.93 ₦5,347

-22.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$4.86 ₦6,602

-64.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.72 ₦3,696

-24.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$3.90 ₦5,296

-47.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$2.20 ₦2,985

-6.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.97 ₦2,675

10.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.59 ₦807

137.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.76 ₦1,029

47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

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

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.98 ₦1,332

40.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$10.17 ₦13.8K

-46.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.90 ₦1,221

42.22%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

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

$41.02 MX$704

$101 ₦137.3K

-59.36%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$9.82 ₦13.3K

174.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$40.62 ₦55.2K

28.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$11.88 ₦16.1K

120.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$8.82 ₦12.0K

-29.93%

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

$427 MX$7,331

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$1,018 ₦1.4M

951.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$10.10 ₦13.7K

462.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$14.78 ₦20.1K

203.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$50.7 ₦69.0K

106.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$49.83 ₦67.8K

112.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$714 ₦970.5K

39.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$478 ₦649.9K

29.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$859 ₦1.2M

147.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$588 ₦799.7K

113.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,987 ₦2.7M

96.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,503 ₦2.0M

39.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$68.4 ₦93.0K

1519.50%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Jos: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $714 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 1519% 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: $288 vs $242 – 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: $1,447 in Mexico City, $985 in Jos – roughly 47% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,478 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 $1,447 in Mexico City and $985 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 $985, than in Mexico City at $1,447. 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 $985 in Jos to $1,447 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.