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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $589 in Malabo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,225 in Malabo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,862 in Malabo, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 147% more than Malabo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Malabo is 56% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$69.9 FCFA 40.1K

-23.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$8.68 FCFA 4,978

11.52%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$5.20 FCFA 2,984

-28.08%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.90 FCFA 517

80.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.91 FCFA 521

27.47%

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

$2.84 FCFA 1,628

-41.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$4.11 FCFA 2,358

-39.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.80 FCFA 3,901

50.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$6.71 FCFA 3,848

22.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$7.49 FCFA 4,297

57.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.93 FCFA 531

56.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.26 FCFA 724

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$4.48 FCFA 2,568

-2.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.46 FCFA 838

18.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$1.30 FCFA 748

-70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$26.74 FCFA 15.3K

-30.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$0.84 FCFA 482

58.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.80 FCFA 459

-65.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$8.80 FCFA 5,047

-40.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$33.5K FCFA 19.2M

-42.02%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$29.5K FCFA 16.9M

-19.30%

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

$17.49 FCFA 10.0K

53.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$17.52 FCFA 10.0K

74.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$34.61 FCFA 19.8K

52.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$14.94 FCFA 8,566

78.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$5.54 FCFA 3,177

17.51%

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

$428 MX$7,508

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$357 FCFA 204.8K

2841.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$26.55 FCFA 15.2K

115.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$134 FCFA 76.6K

-65.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$89.8 FCFA 51.5K

20.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$267 FCFA 152.9K

276.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$124 FCFA 70.9K

404.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$958 FCFA 549.3K

120.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$520 FCFA 298.4K

134.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$846 FCFA 485.0K

359.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$645 FCFA 369.7K

215.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Malabo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $267 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 $70.0 in Malabo. Groceries tell a different story – $292 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: $1,456 in Mexico City, $589 in Malabo – roughly 147% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $883 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 43% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 98% 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 $589, than in Mexico City at $1,456. 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 $589 in Malabo to $1,456 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.