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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $797 in Boracay versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,392 in Boracay versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,987 in Boracay versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Boracay costs roughly 45% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boracay is 40% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.16 ₱194

$13.07 MX$229

-75.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.07 ₱1,297

$53.8 MX$940

-60.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ₱296

$9.68 MX$169

-50.31%

Cappuccino

$2.37 ₱146

$3.74 MX$65.4

-36.63%

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

$1.27 ₱78.4

$1.62 MX$28.25

-21.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ₱15.86

$1.16 MX$20.31

-77.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ₱80.5

$3.23 MX$56.4

-59.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱134

$4.74 MX$82.9

-54.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.65 MX$28.80

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱77.4

$2.75 MX$48.15

-54.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 ₱53.8

$1.87 MX$32.77

-53.48%

Eggs

$2.60 ₱160

$2.50 MX$43.72

4.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.88 ₱485

$10.20 MX$178

-22.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 ₱254

$8.25 MX$144

-49.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 ₱482

$11.82 MX$207

-33.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 ₱184

$3.01 MX$52.6

-0.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 ₱91.2

$1.81 MX$31.67

-18.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ₱159

$2.00 MX$34.96

29.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ₱88.6

$2.00 MX$34.89

-28.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 ₱110

$2.08 MX$36.45

-13.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 ₱160

$2.27 MX$39.72

14.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ₱65.2

$1.46 MX$25.47

-27.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱43.94

$1.08 MX$18.82

-34.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ₱238

$4.35 MX$76.0

-11.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 ₱508

$16.99 MX$297

-51.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.6

$1.73 MX$30.31

-30.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱125

$3.58 MX$62.5

-43.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₱22.34

$0.39 MX$6.77

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.7

$1.33 MX$23.18

-38.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.80

$0.28 MX$4.89

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 ₱127

$5.25 MX$91.8

-60.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₱78.7

$1.34 MX$23.37

-4.48%

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

$26.6K ₱1.6M

$19.4K MX$339.4K

37.02%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$23.8K MX$416.7K

-13.97%

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

$117 ₱7,185

$40.69 MX$712

186.80%

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

$8.78 ₱540

$26.87 MX$470

-67.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.13 ₱2,409

$30.51 MX$534

28.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ₱3,306

$52.8 MX$923

1.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.30 ₱265

$26.65 MX$466

-83.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.23 ₱261

$6.51 MX$114

-35.02%

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

$149 ₱9,181

$428 MX$7,485

-65.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,041 ₱248.8K

$10.5K MX$183.6K

-61.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.67 ₱2,873

$57.3 MX$1,001

-18.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.65 ₱1,641

$45.50 MX$796

-41.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 ₱4,654

$104 MX$1,819

-27.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.9 ₱3,254

$108 MX$1,885

-50.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₱16.1K

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-74.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱11.0K

$623 MX$10.9K

-71.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 ₱35.7K

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-72.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 ₱45.7K

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-39.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,397 ₱147.6K

$3,885 MX$67.9K

-38.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 ₱58.9K

$2,033 MX$35.5K

-52.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$238 ₱14.7K

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-77.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.34

-41.18%

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

Last update for Boracay: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Boracay and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 336% 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: $21.00 in Boracay vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $292 per month, with Boracay 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

Boracay vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boracay and Mexico City differ by about 83% in total monthly costs ($797 vs $1,456 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 336% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $261 in Boracay versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $149 in Boracay versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $797 in Boracay versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boracay but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Boracay 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, Boracay and Mexico City 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 Boracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.