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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $605 in Malabo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,254 in Malabo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,903 in Malabo, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 143% more than Malabo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Malabo is 55% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$69.3 FCFA 39.1K

-22.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$8.66 FCFA 4,883

8.78%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$5.30 FCFA 2,989

-33.02%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.89 FCFA 505

82.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.90 FCFA 510

23.33%

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

$2.79 FCFA 1,572

-39.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$4.27 FCFA 2,409

-40.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$6.84 FCFA 3,857

46.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$6.83 FCFA 3,854

18.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$7.15 FCFA 4,030

62.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.93 FCFA 525

50.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.23 FCFA 693

-8.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$4.63 FCFA 2,611

-7.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.44 FCFA 814

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$1.33 FCFA 753

-71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$26.60 FCFA 15.0K

-27.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.91 FCFA 513

51.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.80 FCFA 452

-65.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$8.98 FCFA 5,063

-39.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$33.0K FCFA 18.6M

-43.38%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$29.3K FCFA 16.5M

-20.93%

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

$17.40 FCFA 9,811

54.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$17.32 FCFA 9,768

72.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$35.03 FCFA 19.8K

48.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$14.89 FCFA 8,396

80.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$5.56 FCFA 3,138

13.31%

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

$436 MX$7,544

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$359 FCFA 202.2K

2804.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$26.93 FCFA 15.2K

110.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$132 FCFA 74.2K

-66.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$89.9 FCFA 50.7K

17.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$266 FCFA 150.0K

284.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$123 FCFA 69.4K

412.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$956 FCFA 539.2K

123.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$522 FCFA 294.3K

138.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$847 FCFA 477.4K

361.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$634 FCFA 357.8K

225.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.8

66.76%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Malabo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $266 in Malabo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $69.0 in Malabo. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in Mexico City vs $147 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: $1,467 in Mexico City, $605 in Malabo – roughly 143% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $907 in Malabo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malabo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 39% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 97% 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 $605, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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 $605 in Malabo to $1,467 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.