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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $553 in Kano.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $865 in Kano.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,176 in Kano.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 166% more expensive than in Kano, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Kano is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$229

$3.56 ₦4,846

269.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$934

$10.40 ₦14.2K

414.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$163

$5.19 ₦7,080

79.77%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.5

$4.73 ₦6,448

-21.78%

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

$1.60 MX$27.98

$0.43 ₦587

272.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$0.38 ₦525

194.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.86 ₦1,170

265.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.5

$0.83 ₦1,130

484.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.84

$3.50 ₦4,773

-52.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.34

$1.96 ₦2,678

38.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.29

$2.18 ₦2,972

-12.39%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.17

$2.17 ₦2,957

19.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$171

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$208

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$6.97 ₦9,507

-57.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.35

$1.69 ₦2,298

2.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.66

$1.16 ₦1,580

75.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.93

$1.15 ₦1,568

79.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.49

$2.39 ₦3,259

-10.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.33

$3.58 ₦4,874

-36.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.17

$0.34 ₦459

308.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.47

$0.50 ₦684

124.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.6

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$305

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$63.4

$0.90 ₦1,221

303.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.15

$0.83 ₦1,129

-57.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

$37.04 ₦50.5K

-47.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.00

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.81

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$92.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.69

$0.45 ₦607

202.22%

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

$19.1K MX$333.2K

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

$23.6K MX$411.7K

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

$40.53 MX$707

$12.09 ₦16.5K

235.24%

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

$27.38 MX$478

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$530

$19.63 ₦26.8K

54.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$911

$34.47 ₦47.0K

51.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$108

$4.77 ₦6,499

29.77%

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

$425 MX$7,414

$35.31 ₦48.1K

1103.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$187.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$777

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,805

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,897

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.7K

$469 ₦639.5K

116.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$180 ₦244.8K

246.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$37.0K

$1,175 ₦1.6M

80.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.3K

$353 ₦481.7K

246.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.4K

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 Kano: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $469 in Kano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $10.00 in Kano for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $151 per month, with Kano cheaper across the board.

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

Mexico City and Kano differ by about 166% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $553 including rent). Kano is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,208 in Mexico City and $830 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $469 in Kano. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,472 per month in Mexico City versus $553 in Kano – a 166% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kano runs roughly 92% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $553 in Kano versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 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.

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.

Expats usually find Kano gentler on the wallet – expenses run 166% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.