🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Ouagadougou versus $1,456 in Mexico City.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,699 in Ouagadougou versus $2,361 in Mexico City.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,367 in Ouagadougou versus $3,266 in Mexico City.
🌍Living in Ouagadougou costs roughly 29% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Ouagadougou is 23% below, Mexico City is 9% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ouagadougou
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.40F CFA 3,102
$13.07MX$228
-58.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.98F CFA 13.8K
$53.8MX$936
-55.39%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.06F CFA 4,625
$9.68MX$169
-16.74%
Cappuccino
$1.71F CFA 983
$3.74MX$65.1
-54.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84F CFA 485
$1.62MX$28.13
-48.15%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.58F CFA 333
$1.16MX$20.23
-50.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.03F CFA 593
$3.23MX$56.2
-68.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81F CFA 1,037
$4.74MX$82.5
-61.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ouagadougou
Mexico City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.73F CFA 1,570
$1.65MX$28.68
65.45%
White Bread(500g)
$0.90F CFA 517
$2.75MX$47.95
-67.27%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.02F CFA 585
$1.87MX$32.63
-45.45%
Eggs
$3.07F CFA 1,765
$2.50MX$43.54
22.80%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.47F CFA 10.0K
$10.20MX$178
71.27%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$21.08F CFA 12.1K
$8.25MX$144
155.52%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.37F CFA 7,101
$11.82MX$206
4.65%
Apples(1kg)
$4.29F CFA 2,465
$3.01MX$52.4
42.52%
Banana(1kg)
$1.42F CFA 815
$1.81MX$31.54
-21.55%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.01F CFA 582
$2.00MX$34.81
-49.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.48F CFA 1,425
$2.00MX$34.74
24.00%
Potato(1kg)
$2.16F CFA 1,242
$2.08MX$36.30
3.85%
Onion(1kg)
$1.36F CFA 780
$2.27MX$39.56
-40.09%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.84F CFA 484
$1.46MX$25.36
-42.47%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.35F CFA 776
$1.08MX$18.74
25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.71F CFA 984
$4.35MX$75.7
-60.69%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.19F CFA 3,551
$16.99MX$296
-63.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30F CFA 745
$1.73MX$30.18
-24.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33F CFA 1,336
$3.58MX$62.3
-34.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Ouagadougou
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.20F CFA 117
$0.39MX$6.74
-48.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$18.69MX$325
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.51F CFA 294
$1.33MX$23.08
-61.65%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.61F CFA 923
$0.28MX$4.87
475.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$5.25MX$91.5
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.46F CFA 839
$1.34MX$23.27
8.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.3KF CFA 21.4M
$19.4KMX$338.0K
92.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.8KF CFA 21.7M
$23.8KMX$415.0K
58.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ouagadougou
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$127F CFA 72.9K
$40.69MX$709
212.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.50F CFA 20.4K
$26.87MX$468
32.12%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.7F CFA 29.1K
$30.51MX$531
66.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ouagadougou
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.2F CFA 35.2K
$52.8MX$919
16.03%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.60F CFA 4,936
$26.65MX$464
-67.73%
Cinema Ticket
$8.94F CFA 5,134
$6.51MX$113
37.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ouagadougou
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$135F CFA 77.2K
$428MX$7,454
-68.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.7KF CFA 10.2M
$10.5KMX$182.8K
68.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ouagadougou
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$57.3MX$997
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$45.50MX$792
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
-
$104MX$1,812
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$108MX$1,878
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ouagadougou
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$449F CFA 257.9K
$1,003MX$17.5K
-55.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$277F CFA 158.9K
$623MX$10.8K
-55.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,279F CFA 734.6K
$2,109MX$36.7K
-39.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$765F CFA 439.1K
$1,218MX$21.2K
-37.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$877F CFA 503.8K
$3,885MX$67.6K
-77.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$260F CFA 149.5K
$2,033MX$35.4K
-87.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ouagadougou
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$607F CFA 348.7K
$1,038MX$18.1K
-41.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
11.34
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ouagadougou: July 11, 2026
Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Ouagadougou and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Mexico City pays 71% 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: $24.00 in Ouagadougou vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $346 vs $292, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.
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
Ouagadougou vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ouagadougou and in Mexico City?
Ouagadougou and Mexico City differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $1,456 including rent). Ouagadougou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 71% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ouagadougou and in Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $449 in Ouagadougou versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ouagadougou and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $135 in Ouagadougou versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Ouagadougou – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,031 in Ouagadougou versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ouagadougou but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ouagadougou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ouagadougou and Mexico City?
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: Ouagadougou or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Ouagadougou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Ouagadougou vs other spots: cost of living compared