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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $685 in Malabo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,146 in Malabo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $1,606 in Malabo, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 142% more than Malabo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Malabo is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$8.64 FCFA 4,935

37.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$70.8 FCFA 40.4K

-27.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$8.89 FCFA 5,081

28.35%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$4.70 FCFA 2,684

-15.11%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.84 FCFA 479

97.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.46 FCFA 261

189.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.74 FCFA 994

99.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$2.76 FCFA 1,578

-31.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.79 FCFA 1,024

20.67%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$3.91 FCFA 2,233

-25.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$6.77 FCFA 3,869

89.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$6.03 FCFA 3,446

66.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$7.17 FCFA 4,099

121.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.54 FCFA 1,453

29.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.71 FCFA 978

17.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$4.64 FCFA 2,649

17.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.38 FCFA 790

49.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$0.86 FCFA 494

444.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$1.71 FCFA 976

-80.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$26.14 FCFA 14.9K

-20.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.85 FCFA 483

147.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.91 FCFA 520

-38.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$8.86 FCFA 5,065

-34.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$32.4K FCFA 18.5M

-29.49%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$29.3K FCFA 16.7M

-8.65%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

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

$30.09 MX$519

$17.66 FCFA 10.1K

70.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$17.40 FCFA 9,945

113.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$34.75 FCFA 19.9K

71.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$14.79 FCFA 8,449

79.51%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.40 FCFA 3,086

30.37%

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

$465 MX$8,012

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$347 FCFA 198.1K

3728.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$235 FCFA 134.1K

207.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$347 FCFA 198.5K

628.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$285 FCFA 162.8K

354.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$854 FCFA 488.2K

367.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$644 FCFA 368.1K

224.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.8

66.18%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Malabo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $71.0 in Malabo. Groceries tell a different story – $345 in Mexico City vs $154 in Malabo – so Malabo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Malabo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City, $685 in Malabo – roughly 142% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,028 in Malabo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 26% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 124% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malabo, where all-in costs run around $685, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Malabo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $685 in Malabo to $1,660 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Malabo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.