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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $191 in Maiduguri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $345 in Maiduguri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $498 in Maiduguri.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 667% more expensive than Maiduguri, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Maiduguri is 86% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$1.53 ₦2,083

761.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$11.78 ₦16.0K

357.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$2.71 ₦3,691

247.60%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$1.36 ₦1,846

161.03%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.37 ₦509

337.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.29 ₦400

282.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.01 ₦1,381

169.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.95 ₦2,650

-2.05%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.76 ₦2,397

44.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$5.07 ₦6,910

59.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$3.99 ₦5,433

191.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$3.89 ₦5,294

-23.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.01 ₦1,379

100.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.52 ₦2,074

39.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.03 ₦1,401

120.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.39 ₦525

258.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.31 ₦428

264.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.53 ₦721

-28.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.37 ₦498

251.35%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

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

$40.86 MX$707

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

$26.81 MX$464

$7.89 ₦10.7K

239.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$7.83 ₦10.7K

242.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

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

$436 MX$7,544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$20.15 ₦27.4K

181.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$18.34 ₦25.0K

141.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$25.49 ₦34.7K

303.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$24.89 ₦33.9K

323.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Maiduguri: May 31, 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 $288 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 667% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,201 in Mexico City and $287 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 192% 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 $191 in Maiduguri versus $1,467 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 667% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.