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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $355 in Maroua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $517 in Maroua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $679 in Maroua.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 315% more expensive than in Maroua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Maroua is 73% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.80 FCFA 1,025

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.84 FCFA 475

222.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$2.97 FCFA 1,689

-35.69%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.83 FCFA 1,609

-8.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$5.34 FCFA 3,034

83.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$5.16 FCFA 2,932

63.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$3.52 FCFA 1,998

238.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.79 FCFA 1,017

64.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$0.85 FCFA 483

104.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$0.85 FCFA 482

140.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.78 FCFA 1,008

15.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$2.66 FCFA 1,512

-19.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.72 FCFA 975

31.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.91 FCFA 517

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$11.35 FCFA 6,442

54.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$0.87 FCFA 492

96.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$1.80 FCFA 1,023

101.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

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

$40.53 MX$701

$53.2 FCFA 30.2K

-23.79%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$8.92 FCFA 5,063

206.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$17.39 FCFA 9,872

200.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$1.81 FCFA 1,028

1362.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

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

$425 MX$7,355

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$89.8 FCFA 51.0K

593.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$158 FCFA 89.5K

676.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Maroua: July 26, 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 315% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,208 in Mexico City and $532 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 62% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,472 per month in Mexico City versus $355 in Maroua – a 315% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $355 in Maroua versus $1,472 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 315% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.