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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $172 in Maiduguri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $292 in Maiduguri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $412 in Maiduguri.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 859% more expensive than in Maiduguri, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Maiduguri is 88% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$0.53 ₦706

2184.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$3.79 ₦4,999

1278.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$1.90 ₦2,508

473.68%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$0.93 ₦1,223

335.48%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$0.22 ₦291

681.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$0.19 ₦255

626.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$1.03 ₦1,355

212.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$1.96 ₦2,590

6.63%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$1.85 ₦2,437

57.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$4.88 ₦6,449

107.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$4.04 ₦5,334

293.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$3.93 ₦5,188

-15.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$0.99 ₦1,302

147.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$1.52 ₦2,002

44.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$1.02 ₦1,343

86.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.42 ₦551

285.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$0.29 ₦378

365.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$0.35 ₦467

-2.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.27 ₦360

500.00%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

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

$29.87 MX$505

$7.83 ₦10.3K

281.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$8.11 ₦10.7K

229.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

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

$453 MX$7,664

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$19.91 ₦26.3K

276.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$18.28 ₦24.1K

202.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$25.39 ₦33.5K

347.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$25.12 ₦33.2K

388.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Maiduguri: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $4.00 in Maiduguri for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $98.0 per month, with Maiduguri 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 Maiduguri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maiduguri is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 859% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,469 in Mexico City and $257 in Maiduguri 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 251% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Maiduguri – a meal for two runs $4.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $172 in Maiduguri versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maiduguri but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Maiduguri the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maiduguri is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Maiduguri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 859% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.