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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $357 in Maroua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $528 in Maroua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $699 in Maroua.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 365% more expensive than in Maroua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Maroua is 74% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.80 FCFA 1,031

4.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.87 FCFA 496

273.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$3.01 FCFA 1,721

-28.24%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$5.85 FCFA 3,344

-50.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$5.38 FCFA 3,076

139.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.16 FCFA 2,951

94.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$3.46 FCFA 1,978

358.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$1.81 FCFA 1,035

81.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$0.90 FCFA 516

123.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$0.86 FCFA 491

155.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.80 FCFA 1,026

31.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$2.58 FCFA 1,473

-20.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.80 FCFA 1,030

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.91 FCFA 521

53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$11.27 FCFA 6,440

56.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$0.84 FCFA 478

145.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.74 FCFA 996

168.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$51.9 FCFA 29.6K

25.68%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$8.68 FCFA 4,961

246.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$17.66 FCFA 10.1K

238.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$1.74 FCFA 995

1425.86%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

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

$465 MX$8,012

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

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

$88.8 FCFA 50.7K

711.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$159 FCFA 90.7K

714.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Maroua: September 12, 2026

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 Maroua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maroua is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 365% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $535 in Maroua 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 78% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $357 in Maroua – a 365% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $357 in Maroua versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maroua but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Maroua the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maroua 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 Maroua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 365% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.