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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $644 in Limbe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $894 in Limbe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,144 in Limbe.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 130% more expensive than Limbe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Limbe is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$4.43 FCFA 2,485

193.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.07 FCFA 602

250.47%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$1.55 FCFA 867

1.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.87 FCFA 486

29.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.74 FCFA 974

82.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.58 FCFA 1,449

80.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.61 FCFA 1,465

-37.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.66 FCFA 932

13.25%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.16 FCFA 1,214

16.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$9.79 FCFA 5,491

2.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.07 FCFA 2,843

63.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$6.58 FCFA 3,693

81.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$1.91 FCFA 1,071

49.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.14 FCFA 641

53.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.97 FCFA 1,107

5.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.93 FCFA 1,081

2.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.89 FCFA 1,060

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.92 FCFA 516

51.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.71 FCFA 961

-34.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.62 FCFA 1,467

60.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$2.00 FCFA 1,122

-12.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.70 FCFA 1,512

36.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.87 FCFA 485

-55.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$26.10 FCFA 14.6K

-28.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.51 FCFA 288

172.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.20 FCFA 110

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$1.73 FCFA 968

213.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.15 FCFA 647

17.39%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

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

$40.82 MX$714

$88.1 FCFA 49.4K

-53.65%

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

$27.50 MX$481

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$85.0 FCFA 47.7K

-64.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$44.31 FCFA 24.9K

20.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$4.35 FCFA 2,440

44.14%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$358 FCFA 201.0K

21.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$1,764 FCFA 989.2K

493.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$117 FCFA 65.5K

756.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$111 FCFA 62.1K

460.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$346 FCFA 194.0K

517.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$201 FCFA 113.0K

512.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$233 FCFA 130.9K

899.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Limbe: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $117 in Limbe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 Limbe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Limbe differ by about 130% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $644 including rent). Limbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,225 in Mexico City and $966 in Limbe 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $117 in Limbe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $358 in Limbe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Limbe runs roughly 40% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $644 in Limbe versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Limbe but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Limbe 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 Limbe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 130% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.