Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
78

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu 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 Cebu and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $1,608 in Mexico City.

Cebu $934
Mexico City $1,608

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,423 in Cebu versus $2,549 in Mexico City.

Cebu $1,423
Mexico City $2,549

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,913 in Cebu versus $3,490 in Mexico City.

Cebu $1,913
Mexico City $3,490

Living in Cebu costs roughly 42% less than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 31% below, Mexico City is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 ₱243

$10.62 MX$198

-64.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.33 ₱1,493

$48.35 MX$901

-51.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.94 ₱252

$10.35 MX$193

-61.93%

Cappuccino

$2.54 ₱163

$3.69 MX$68.7

-31.17%

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

$1.57 ₱100

$1.67 MX$31.05

-5.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₱29.87

$1.27 MX$23.58

-62.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 ₱113

$3.19 MX$59.5

-44.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₱142

$5.31 MX$98.9

-58.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱121

$1.72 MX$32.13

10.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ₱87.3

$3.04 MX$56.6

-55.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱59.9

$1.94 MX$36.17

-51.55%

Eggs

$1.99 ₱127

$2.89 MX$53.8

-31.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 ₱621

$10.97 MX$204

-11.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 ₱277

$9.25 MX$172

-53.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.51 ₱481

$15.13 MX$282

-50.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱212

$3.05 MX$56.8

8.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 ₱87.6

$1.94 MX$36.17

-29.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ₱150

$2.03 MX$37.73

15.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ₱95.5

$2.31 MX$43.12

-35.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱147

$2.04 MX$37.91

12.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 ₱120

$1.80 MX$33.53

3.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱70.5

$1.48 MX$27.56

-25.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₱40.42

$1.27 MX$23.62

-50.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 ₱183

$5.30 MX$98.8

-46.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 ₱389

$16.10 MX$300

-62.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₱81.6

$1.98 MX$36.95

-35.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱110

$4.25 MX$79.2

-59.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱14.01

$0.31 MX$5.68

-29.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 ₱790

$19.73 MX$368

-37.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱47.61

$1.84 MX$34.23

-59.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱14.11

$0.53 MX$9.94

-58.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 ₱274

$5.30 MX$98.7

-19.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₱83.8

$1.51 MX$28.14

-13.25%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$21.8K MX$405.3K

-4.54%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

$24.0K MX$446.9K

-20.59%

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

$118 ₱7,577

$63.0 MX$1,173

88.01%

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

$15.76 ₱1,009

$27.39 MX$510

-42.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.33 ₱1,813

$35.67 MX$664

-20.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.94 ₱2,108

$58.9 MX$1,098

-44.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.49 ₱415

$23.64 MX$441

-72.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.45 ₱349

$6.40 MX$119

-14.84%

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

$276 ₱17.6K

$432 MX$8,041

-36.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,789 ₱498.5K

$11.4K MX$212.8K

-31.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.18 ₱3,083

$68.2 MX$1,271

-29.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.47 ₱1,566

$53.1 MX$990

-53.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 ₱4,818

$108 MX$2,008

-30.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.0 ₱3,713

$117 MX$2,185

-50.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 ₱30.5K

$1,113 MX$20.7K

-57.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 ₱20.6K

$710 MX$13.2K

-54.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 ₱61.6K

$2,588 MX$48.2K

-62.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 ₱40.0K

$1,406 MX$26.2K

-55.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,551 ₱291.3K

$3,631 MX$67.6K

25.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,028 ₱193.8K

$2,135 MX$39.8K

41.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$333 ₱21.3K

$946 MX$17.6K

-64.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

11.35

-36.56%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$322 34.5%

Mexico City

$710 44.2% 121% $389

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$204 21.8%

Mexico City

$320 19.9% 56.8% $116

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.4%

Mexico City

$126 7.8% 22.4% $36

Eating Out

Cebu

$94 10.1%

Mexico City

$199 12.4% 111% $105

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$93 9.9%

Mexico City

$156 9.7% 68.2% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Mexico City

$72 4.5% 63.6% $28

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.6%

Mexico City

$25 1.6% 69.1% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Cebu and $1,113 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays about 2.8 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $23 in Cebu vs $48 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $320 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

12:00 12:00 PM

22:00 10:00 PM

14 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.56 USD

100 PHP = 1.4 EUR

100 MXN = 5.37 USD

100 MXN = 4.82 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 63.99 PHP (100 PHP = 1.56 USD). 1 EUR = 71.24 PHP (100 PHP = 1.4 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.63 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.74 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Mexico City 14,260 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
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

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

Cebu is about 42% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 65% lower in Cebu. 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: $477 in Cebu versus $1,113 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $1,608 in Mexico City – Cebu is about 42% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 37% less than in Mexico City. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.