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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $443 in Benin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $798 in Benin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,153 in Benin.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 228% more expensive than in Benin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Benin is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$2.64 ₦3,630

395.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$50.3 ₦69.2K

6.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$5.43 ₦7,475

78.27%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$2.20 ₦3,031

70.00%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.33 ₦459

390.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.20 ₦275

480.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$0.79 ₦1,088

308.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$1.45 ₦1,989

226.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$2.27 ₦3,118

-27.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.24 ₦1,705

121.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$2.34 ₦3,222

-20.09%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.77 ₦2,435

41.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$6.41 ₦8,812

59.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$4.12 ₦5,671

100.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$5.25 ₦7,226

125.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$3.58 ₦4,930

-15.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$2.05 ₦2,819

-11.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$2.13 ₦2,930

-6.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$2.29 ₦3,150

-12.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$2.36 ₦3,251

-11.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.93 ₦2,659

17.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.98 ₦2,725

-26.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.38 ₦524

184.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$1.31 ₦1,801

232.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$2.60 ₦3,571

553.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$0.64 ₦884

170.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$0.90 ₦1,233

297.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$1.23 ₦1,698

8.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$2.23 ₦3,072

-87.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$4.80 ₦6,604

9.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.78 ₦1,076

71.79%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$20.6K ₦28.3M

-5.62%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$20.5K ₦28.2M

16.10%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$41.15 ₦56.6K

-1.12%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$10.13 ₦13.9K

165.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$34.53 ₦47.5K

-11.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$6.42 ₦8,838

1.40%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$84.0 ₦115.6K

409.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$2,328 ₦3.2M

350.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$19.00 ₦26.1K

201.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$24.97 ₦34.3K

82.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$64.8 ₦89.2K

60.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$57.2 ₦78.7K

88.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$109 ₦150.2K

850.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

16.33

-30.56%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Benin: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 850% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $50.0 in Benin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $191 per month, with Benin cheaper across the board.

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 Benin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Benin differ by about 228% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $443 including rent). Benin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 850% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $84.0 in Benin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Benin – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $443 in Benin versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Benin but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Benin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Benin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Benin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 228% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.