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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $663 in Limbe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $919 in Limbe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,174 in Limbe.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 122% more expensive than in Limbe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Limbe is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$4.29 FCFA 2,438

206.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.09 FCFA 617

239.45%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.63 FCFA 928

-1.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.86 FCFA 488

30.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.80 FCFA 1,020

74.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.71 FCFA 1,537

78.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$2.63 FCFA 1,495

-37.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.63 FCFA 923

17.18%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.07 FCFA 1,175

25.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$9.51 FCFA 5,398

3.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$5.08 FCFA 2,881

65.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$6.35 FCFA 3,603

87.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.93 FCFA 1,095

52.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.14 FCFA 645

52.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.90 FCFA 1,077

7.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.99 FCFA 1,130

3.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$2.00 FCFA 1,133

7.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.86 FCFA 490

61.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$1.80 FCFA 1,023

-37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.67 FCFA 1,518

58.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$8.65 FCFA 4,909

102.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$2.07 FCFA 1,175

-17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.69 FCFA 1,526

34.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.89 FCFA 507

-60.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$26.88 FCFA 15.3K

-28.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.55 FCFA 313

150.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.20 FCFA 113

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$1.80 FCFA 1,021

193.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.20 FCFA 683

13.33%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

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

$40.53 MX$701

$88.0 FCFA 50.0K

-53.95%

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

$27.38 MX$474

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$82.9 FCFA 47.0K

-63.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$44.06 FCFA 25.0K

18.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$4.38 FCFA 2,487

41.32%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$350 FCFA 198.6K

21.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$1,760 FCFA 999.0K

510.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$113 FCFA 64.3K

795.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$115 FCFA 65.1K

442.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$358 FCFA 203.2K

492.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$203 FCFA 115.1K

503.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

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 Limbe: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $113 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 122% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $663 including rent). Limbe 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 $995 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $113 in Limbe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $350 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 39% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $663 in Limbe versus $1,472 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 122% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.