Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yaounde and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Yaounde: $782 a month against $1,567 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Yaounde
🇨🇲 Cameroon
$782
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,567
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Yaounde and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Yaounde and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $782 in Yaounde versus $1,567 in Mexico City.

  • Yaounde $782
  • Mexico City $1,567

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,206 in Yaounde versus $2,450 in Mexico City.

  • Yaounde $1,206
  • Mexico City $2,450

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,629 in Yaounde versus $3,333 in Mexico City.

  • Yaounde $1,629
  • Mexico City $3,333

Living in Yaounde costs roughly 50% less than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yaounde is 42% below, Mexico City is 16% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Yaounde
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.50 FCFA 2,040
$10.75 MX$199
-67.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.7 FCFA 29.6K
$50.3 MX$929
0.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.97 FCFA 2,896
$11.10 MX$205
-55.23%
Cappuccino
$1.87 FCFA 1,089
$3.68 MX$68.1
-49.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 FCFA 854
$1.65 MX$30.42
-11.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 FCFA 324
$1.30 MX$24.08
-56.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.20 FCFA 698
$3.32 MX$61.3
-63.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 FCFA 980
$5.54 MX$102
-69.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Yaounde
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.62 FCFA 2,109
$1.77 MX$32.68
104.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.03 FCFA 602
$3.05 MX$56.4
-66.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.27 FCFA 743
$2.01 MX$37.20
-36.82%
Eggs
$2.02 FCFA 1,179
$2.77 MX$51.1
-27.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.86 FCFA 8,080
$11.91 MX$220
16.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.02 FCFA 3,509
$9.33 MX$172
-35.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.42 FCFA 3,744
$15.02 MX$278
-57.26%
Apples (1kg)
$4.97 FCFA 2,899
$3.08 MX$56.8
61.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 FCFA 1,139
$1.95 MX$35.97
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 FCFA 1,159
$2.03 MX$37.54
-1.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.35 FCFA 786
$2.21 MX$40.92
-38.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.63 FCFA 952
$2.02 MX$37.41
-19.31%
Onion (1kg)
$1.39 FCFA 813
$1.82 MX$33.67
-23.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 FCFA 654
$1.52 MX$28.07
-26.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65 FCFA 381
$1.28 MX$23.65
-49.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.68 FCFA 982
$5.27 MX$97.4
-68.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.25 FCFA 4,808
$16.12 MX$298
-48.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 FCFA 772
$1.95 MX$36.05
-32.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 FCFA 1,132
$4.25 MX$78.6
-54.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Yaounde
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 FCFA 305
$0.31 MX$5.82
67.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$17.19 FCFA 10.0K
$19.85 MX$367
-13.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.62 FCFA 363
$2.00 MX$36.93
-69.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 FCFA 261
$0.53 MX$9.86
-15.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.87 FCFA 3,422
$5.62 MX$104
4.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 FCFA 848
$1.52 MX$28.07
-3.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6K FCFA 19.0M
$21.0K MX$388.7K
54.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.2K FCFA 12.4M
$25.2K MX$465.3K
-15.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yaounde
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.1 FCFA 46.7K
$62.5 MX$1,155
28.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.16 FCFA 10.0K
$28.77 MX$532
-40.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.3 FCFA 29.9K
$34.45 MX$637
48.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Yaounde
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.85 FCFA 13.9K
$57.1 MX$1,055
-58.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.93 FCFA 4,041
$24.81 MX$458
-72.07%
Cinema Ticket
$8.32 FCFA 4,849
$6.67 MX$123
24.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Yaounde
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$615 FCFA 358.4K
$431 MX$7,964
42.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,333 FCFA 1.4M
$11.7K MX$216.9K
-80.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Yaounde
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$16.75 FCFA 9,767
$70.8 MX$1,308
-76.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.41 FCFA 16.0K
$51.8 MX$958
-47.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$25.17 FCFA 14.7K
$109 MX$2,011
-76.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$55.8 FCFA 32.6K
$112 MX$2,076
-50.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Yaounde
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$142 FCFA 83.0K
$1,051 MX$19.4K
-86.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$183 FCFA 106.7K
$665 MX$12.3K
-72.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$408 FCFA 238.1K
$2,346 MX$43.3K
-82.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$208 FCFA 121.2K
$1,227 MX$22.7K
-83.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$855 FCFA 498.8K
$3,554 MX$65.7K
-75.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$589 FCFA 343.7K
$1,977 MX$36.5K
-70.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Yaounde
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$185 FCFA 107.8K
$975 MX$18.0K
-81.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13
11.3
15.04%

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

Last update for Yaounde: October 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Yaounde
$249
Mexico City
$323 29.7% $74
Accommodation & Living
Yaounde
$183
Mexico City
$665 263% $482
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yaounde
$149
Mexico City
$126 15.4% $23
Eating Out
Yaounde
$83
Mexico City
$203 145% $120
Clothing & Footwear
Yaounde
$56
Mexico City
$155 175% $98
Sport & Entertainment
Yaounde
$40
Mexico City
$70 74% $30
Getting Around
Yaounde
$22
Mexico City
$26 16.4% $3.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $142 in Yaounde and $1,051 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 427% 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: $51.0 in Yaounde vs $50.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $323, with Yaounde cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇲 Yaounde
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
00:46 12:46 AM
17:46 5:46 PM
7 h behind Yaounde
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,817,524 Capital
9,209,944 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to XAF – Central African CFA Franc Converter

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 583 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Yaounde Mexico City 12,010 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Yaounde
  • Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Yaounde vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Yaounde and in Mexico City?
Yaounde and Mexico City differ by about 100% in total monthly costs ($782 vs $1,567 including rent). Yaounde 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 427% 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 Yaounde and in Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $142 in Yaounde versus $1,051 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Yaounde and in Mexico City?
A monthly transit pass in Yaounde runs roughly 15% 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 Yaounde and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $615 in Yaounde versus $431 in Mexico City. 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 $782 in Yaounde versus $1,567 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 Yaounde 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: Yaounde or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Yaounde gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% 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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