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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $924 in Limbe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,560 in Limbe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,197 in Limbe.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 80% more expensive than in Limbe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Limbe is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$4.38 FCFA 2,500

172.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$125 FCFA 71.2K

-58.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.19 FCFA 4,103

58.69%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$1.11 FCFA 635

259.46%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$1.56 FCFA 889

6.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.82 FCFA 466

62.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$1.27 FCFA 723

173.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.61 FCFA 1,491

126.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$2.66 FCFA 1,519

-29.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$0.45 FCFA 255

622.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$1.67 FCFA 952

29.34%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$1.99 FCFA 1,138

45.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$9.59 FCFA 5,473

34.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.81 FCFA 2,746

108.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$6.63 FCFA 3,783

139.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$1.97 FCFA 1,124

67.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$1.14 FCFA 652

76.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.98 FCFA 1,130

11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$1.42 FCFA 812

66.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$1.99 FCFA 1,137

3.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$2.23 FCFA 1,273

-14.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$0.77 FCFA 441

109.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.63 FCFA 358

122.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$2.59 FCFA 1,480

110.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.73 FCFA 4,984

102.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$1.51 FCFA 860

36.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$1.87 FCFA 1,068

150.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.85 FCFA 483

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

$26.65 FCFA 15.2K

-21.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.55 FCFA 313

281.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.23 FCFA 132

143.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$1.74 FCFA 996

233.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.14 FCFA 650

41.23%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$30.6K FCFA 17.4M

-25.29%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$16.1K FCFA 9.2M

66.43%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$89.7 FCFA 51.2K

-27.31%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$26.16 FCFA 14.9K

15.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$84.2 FCFA 48.0K

-55.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$44.06 FCFA 25.1K

35.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.47 FCFA 2,554

57.49%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$348 FCFA 198.6K

33.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$1,747 FCFA 996.8K

659.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$83.1 FCFA 47.4K

-8.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$68.0 FCFA 38.8K

-17.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$145 FCFA 82.7K

-22.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$154 FCFA 87.7K

-21.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$138 FCFA 78.8K

421.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$140 FCFA 79.9K

823.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

19.04

-40.65%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Limbe: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $125 in Limbe. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $200, with Limbe cheaper for home cooking.

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 80% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $924 including rent). Limbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $1,386 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 73% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Limbe – a meal for two runs $125 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $924 in Limbe versus $1,660 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 80% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.