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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $725 in Yaounde.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,195 in Yaounde.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,665 in Yaounde.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 102% more expensive than Yaounde, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Yaounde is 46% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Yaounde
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.18 MX$230
$4.87 FCFA 2,769
170.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.9 MX$941
$43.99 FCFA 25.0K
22.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.42 MX$165
$5.80 FCFA 3,298
62.41%
Cappuccino
$3.55 MX$62.0
$2.59 FCFA 1,474
37.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$28.25
$1.48 FCFA 840
9.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 MX$19.46
$0.69 FCFA 394
60.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.12 MX$54.5
$1.17 FCFA 667
166.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.63 MX$80.8
$1.72 FCFA 978
169.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Yaounde
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$29.71
$2.83 FCFA 1,612
-39.93%
White Bread (500g)
$2.72 MX$47.47
$0.99 FCFA 563
174.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.91 MX$33.39
$1.11 FCFA 629
72.07%
Eggs
$2.54 MX$44.28
$1.83 FCFA 1,042
38.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.03 MX$175
$13.96 FCFA 7,944
-28.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.09 MX$141
$6.32 FCFA 3,596
28.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.62 MX$203
$5.98 FCFA 3,401
94.31%
Apples (1kg)
$2.97 MX$51.8
$4.63 FCFA 2,636
-35.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 MX$31.54
$2.10 FCFA 1,192
-13.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.01 MX$35.15
$2.06 FCFA 1,171
-2.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$35.53
$1.19 FCFA 677
70.59%
Potato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$37.10
$1.61 FCFA 913
31.68%
Onion (1kg)
$2.27 MX$39.63
$1.46 FCFA 829
55.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.40 MX$24.45
$0.57 FCFA 327
145.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 MX$19.74
$1.00 FCFA 567
13.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$74.6
$1.73 FCFA 986
146.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.56 MX$272
$8.78 FCFA 4,994
77.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 MX$30.68
$1.23 FCFA 700
43.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.60 MX$62.8
$1.60 FCFA 913
125.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Yaounde
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.38 MX$6.69
$0.60 FCFA 339
-36.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.18 MX$335
$17.76 FCFA 10.1K
8.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.38 MX$24.02
$0.65 FCFA 368
112.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.28 MX$4.83
$0.38 FCFA 217
-26.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 MX$95.1
$5.60 FCFA 3,184
-2.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 MX$22.77
$1.35 FCFA 767
-3.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.7K MX$326.3K
$33.1K FCFA 18.8M
-43.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1K MX$403.9K
$16.2K FCFA 9.2M
43.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Yaounde
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$40.86 MX$714
$79.3 FCFA 45.1K
-48.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.81 MX$468
$21.48 FCFA 12.2K
24.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.96 MX$523
$46.79 FCFA 26.6K
-35.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Yaounde
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 MX$908
$26.01 FCFA 14.8K
100.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.84 MX$469
$7.26 FCFA 4,128
269.70%
Cinema Ticket
$6.30 MX$110
$6.54 FCFA 3,722
-3.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Yaounde
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$436 MX$7,616
$346 FCFA 196.8K
26.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.4K MX$181.9K
$1,832 FCFA 1.0M
468.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Yaounde
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.7 MX$989
$16.69 FCFA 9,495
239.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.38 MX$775
$23.83 FCFA 13.6K
86.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 MX$1,797
$19.67 FCFA 11.2K
423.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 MX$1,843
$58.2 FCFA 33.1K
81.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Yaounde
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,022 MX$17.8K
$153 FCFA 86.9K
569.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$631 MX$11.0K
$118 FCFA 67.1K
435.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,136 MX$37.3K
$503 FCFA 286.0K
324.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,243 MX$21.7K
$256 FCFA 145.8K
385.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,903 MX$68.2K
$887 FCFA 504.5K
340.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,064 MX$36.0K
$626 FCFA 356.2K
229.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Yaounde
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,115 MX$19.5K
$189 FCFA 107.6K
489.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.34
6
89.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $153 in Yaounde. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 490% 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 $44.00 in Yaounde for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $240 per month, with Yaounde 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 Yaounde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Yaounde?
Mexico City and Yaounde differ by about 102% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $725 including rent). Yaounde is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Mexico City or Yaounde?
Mexico City pays 490% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and Yaounde?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $153 in Yaounde. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and Yaounde?
A monthly transit pass in Yaounde runs roughly 8% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Yaounde?
Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $346 in Yaounde. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $725 in Yaounde versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Yaounde but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Yaounde the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Yaounde?
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.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Yaounde?
Expats usually find Yaounde gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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