Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Kano

For one person, living is cheaper in Kano: $96.9 a month against $1,674 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Kano, Nigeria
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,674
/mo nomad
Kano
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$96.9
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Kano

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Kano actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,674 in Mexico City versus $97 in Kano.

  • Mexico City $1,674
  • Kano $97

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,606 in Mexico City versus $179 in Kano.

  • Mexico City $2,606
  • Kano $179

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,537 in Mexico City versus $262 in Kano.

  • Mexico City $3,537
  • Kano $262

Living in Mexico City is roughly 1627% more expensive than in Kano, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 24% above, Kano is 93% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Kano
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.59 MX$199
$1.72 ₦2,314
515.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.0 MX$976
$15.21 ₦20.4K
241.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.73 MX$201
$6.31 ₦8,468
70.05%
Cappuccino
$3.80 MX$71.3
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 MX$30.28
$0.19 ₦248
747.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$22.76
$0.15 ₦197
706.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 MX$59.7
$0.31 ₦420
925.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.44 MX$102
$0.29 ₦383
1775.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Kano
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.26
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.97 MX$55.7
$0.65 ₦868
356.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.93 MX$36.17
$0.55 ₦736
250.91%
Eggs
$2.77 MX$52.1
$0.89 ₦1,190
211.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.67 MX$219
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.48 MX$178
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.37 MX$289
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.10 MX$58.3
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.96 MX$36.82
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 MX$37.22
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.34 MX$43.86
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$38.00
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 MX$34.26
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.54 MX$29.00
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 MX$24.64
$0.59 ₦787
122.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.35 MX$100
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$16.19 MX$304
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 MX$36.79
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 MX$81.7
$0.31 ₦418
1303.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Kano
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.30 MX$5.72
$0.27 ₦360
11.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.49 MX$366
$12.22 ₦16.4K
59.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.92 MX$36.01
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 MX$8.88
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 MX$102
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 MX$27.86
$0.48 ₦642
208.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K MX$401.4K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K MX$446.1K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Kano
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.0 MX$1,164
$7.34 ₦9,854
744.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.47 MX$535
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.11 MX$641
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Kano
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.4 MX$1,097
$20.20 ₦27.1K
189.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.50 MX$460
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.59 MX$124
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Kano
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$434 MX$8,155
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.0K MX$263.6K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Kano
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.4 MX$1,284
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.8 MX$1,029
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 MX$2,082
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 MX$2,178
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Kano
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,179 MX$22.1K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$771 MX$14.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,570 MX$48.3K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,420 MX$26.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,586 MX$67.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,064 MX$38.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Kano
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,003 MX$18.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
0
-

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

Last update for Mexico City: November 1, 2026

Last update for Kano: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$771
Kano
–
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$324
Kano
–
Eating Out
Mexico City
$201
Kano
–
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$158
Kano
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$125
Kano
–
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Kano
–
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Kano
–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $52 in Mexico City vs $15 in Kano for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $20 per month, with Kano cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇳🇬 Kano
🕒 Local time
23:46 11:46 PM
06:46 6:46 AM
7 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
2,395,375
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

NGN, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.78 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 21.08 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1,342 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.45 USD). 1 EUR = 1,507 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Kano 11,360 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Kano

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Kano?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,674 in Mexico City and $97 in Kano, so Kano is about 94% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Kano?
You’d need roughly $2,510 in Mexico City and $145 in Kano to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Kano – a meal for two runs $15 versus $52 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and in Kano?
A monthly transit pass in Kano runs roughly 37% less than in Mexico City. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $97 in Kano versus $1,674 in Mexico City, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Kano but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Kano the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Kano?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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