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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $1,025 in Jos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,409 in Jos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $1,792 in Jos, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 44% more than Jos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Jos is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$228

$1.31 ₦1,788

903.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$928

$13.82 ₦18.8K

287.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$162

$4.56 ₦6,205

104.61%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.2

$2.36 ₦3,215

56.78%

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

$1.60 MX$27.82

$0.34 ₦469

370.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.39

$0.25 ₦342

348.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.4

$0.69 ₦933

355.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$3.61 ₦4,916

-54.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.07

$0.89 ₦1,212

204.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.10

$3.42 ₦4,655

-44.15%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.92

$2.92 ₦3,975

-11.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$10.07 ₦13.7K

-2.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$4.98 ₦6,777

69.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$207

$4.41 ₦6,011

170.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.2

$4.11 ₦5,605

-28.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.18

$4.97 ₦6,769

-64.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.46

$2.74 ₦3,734

-25.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.73

$3.95 ₦5,377

-47.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.28

$2.30 ₦3,137

-6.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.11

$1.97 ₦2,684

14.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.03

$0.64 ₦873

117.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.36

$0.77 ₦1,056

45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.2

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$304

$5.78 ₦7,875

202.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.65

$0.74 ₦1,014

131.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$63.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.12

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$335

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.86

$0.98 ₦1,329

40.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.5

$9.88 ₦13.5K

-46.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.55

$0.88 ₦1,196

54.55%

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

$19.1K MX$331.3K

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

$23.6K MX$409.4K

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

$40.53 MX$703

$100 ₦136.8K

-59.64%

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

$27.38 MX$475

$9.95 ₦13.6K

175.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$527

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$906

$40.13 ₦54.7K

30.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$459

$12.12 ₦16.5K

118.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$9.23 ₦12.6K

-32.94%

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

$425 MX$7,372

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$186.2K

$985 ₦1.3M

989.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,011

$9.94 ₦13.5K

486.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$773

$14.79 ₦20.1K

201.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,795

$50.9 ₦69.3K

103.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,886

$50.6 ₦68.9K

114.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.6K

$696 ₦948.3K

45.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$472 ₦642.2K

32.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.8K

$850 ₦1.2M

149.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$606 ₦826.1K

101.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.8K

$2,033 ₦2.8M

86.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.6K

$1,478 ₦2.0M

42.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$68.2 ₦92.9K

1443.66%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Jos: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $696 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 1444% 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 $14.00 in Jos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $258 – 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: $1,472 in Mexico City, $1,025 in Jos – roughly 44% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $1,538 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 $54.0 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 $1,472 in Mexico City and $1,025 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 $1,025, than in Mexico City at $1,472. 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 $1,025 in Jos to $1,472 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.