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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $190 in Maiduguri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $344 in Maiduguri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $499 in Maiduguri.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 665% more expensive than in Maiduguri, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Maiduguri is 86% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$1.51 ₦2,086

765.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$12.04 ₦16.6K

346.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$2.76 ₦3,808

250.72%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.31 ₦1,808

185.50%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.34 ₦471

376.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.29 ₦402

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$1.02 ₦1,404

169.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$2.04 ₦2,805

-8.33%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.83 ₦2,519

36.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$4.86 ₦6,698

69.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$4.02 ₦5,541

194.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$4.07 ₦5,611

-26.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.02 ₦1,410

96.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$1.51 ₦2,087

37.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$1.02 ₦1,399

122.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.38 ₦527

284.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.31 ₦428

248.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.52 ₦723

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$0.39 ₦541

243.59%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

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

$40.69 MX$714

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

$26.87 MX$471

$7.79 ₦10.7K

244.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$8.20 ₦11.3K

225.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

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

$428 MX$7,508

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$20.35 ₦28.0K

181.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$17.91 ₦24.7K

154.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$25.28 ₦34.8K

311.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$25.36 ₦34.9K

325.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 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 13, 2026

Last update for Maiduguri: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $12.00 in Maiduguri for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $99.0 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 665% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,185 in Mexico City and $286 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 194% 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 $12.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $190 in Maiduguri versus $1,456 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 665% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.