Cost of Living Comparison Between Celaya and Dasmarinas Cost of Living Comparison Between Celaya and Dasmarinas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,067 in Celaya versus $502 in Dasmarinas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,696 in Celaya versus $750 in Dasmarinas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,325 in Celaya versus $998 in Dasmarinas.

Living in Celaya is roughly 113% more expensive than in Dasmarinas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Celaya 22% lower, Dasmarinas 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$4.10 ₱257

185.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$905

$16.57 ₱1,037

223.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 MX$153

$2.76 ₱173

227.17%

Cappuccino

$3.56 MX$60.1

$1.78 ₱111

100.00%

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

$1.26 MX$21.32

$0.59 ₱37.08

113.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 MX$19.74

$0.31 ₱19.38

277.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$1.01 ₱63.4

243.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 MX$99.8

$1.57 ₱98.2

276.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.28

$1.40 ₱87.4

23.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$54.9

$1.11 ₱69.6

192.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MX$28.29

$0.70 ₱43.81

140.00%

Eggs

$2.34 MX$39.43

$1.82 ₱114

28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 MX$158

$5.01 ₱313

86.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.41 MX$176

$3.46 ₱216

200.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.19 MX$256

$4.68 ₱293

224.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$50.1

$2.23 ₱140

33.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 MX$20.42

$1.60 ₱100

-24.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 MX$28.98

$2.44 ₱153

-29.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MX$20.37

$1.05 ₱65.7

15.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$1.70 ₱106

28.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 MX$29.49

$1.75 ₱110

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MX$20.34

$0.62 ₱38.65

93.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.13

$0.50 ₱31.20

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 MX$97.1

$2.92 ₱183

96.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.84 MX$251

$9.07 ₱568

63.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.93

$0.90 ₱56.4

130.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 MX$77.5

$2.01 ₱126

128.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MX$11.50

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.16 MX$492

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 MX$35.08

$0.79 ₱49.39

163.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.38

$0.25 ₱15.69

144.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 MX$99.8

$1.89 ₱118

212.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MX$25.12

$0.98 ₱61.2

52.04%

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

$22.3K MX$377.2K

$21.7K ₱1.4M

3.08%

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

$27.0K MX$455.5K

$19.7K ₱1.2M

37.28%

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

$40.11 MX$677

$48.99 ₱3,067

-18.13%

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

$20.57 MX$347

$17.37 ₱1,087

18.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.39 MX$344

$23.85 ₱1,493

-14.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.91 MX$590

$33.47 ₱2,095

4.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.79 MX$503

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 MX$91.7

$5.10 ₱320

6.47%

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

$469 MX$7,927

$136 ₱8,490

246.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$231.0K

$10.8K ₱677.1K

26.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 MX$1,247

$28.71 ₱1,797

157.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 MX$925

$19.82 ₱1,241

176.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,941

$71.5 ₱4,478

60.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 MX$2,097

$55.4 ₱3,470

124.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 MX$4,491

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 MX$3,984

$48.46 ₱3,034

386.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 MX$6,850

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$308 MX$5,205

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 MX$15.0K

$357 ₱22.4K

148.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.4

76.56%

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

Last update for Celaya: August 31, 2026

Last update for Dasmarinas: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Celaya pays 148% 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 Celaya vs $17.00 in Dasmarinas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $301 vs $161 per month, with Dasmarinas 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

Celaya vs Dasmarinas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Celaya and Dasmarinas differ by about 113% in total monthly costs ($1,067 vs $502 including rent). Dasmarinas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 148% higher in Celaya, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 87% higher in Celaya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,067 per month in Celaya versus $502 in Dasmarinas – a 113% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $502 in Dasmarinas versus $1,067 in Celaya, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dasmarinas but tight or insufficient in Celaya. The gap between the two cities makes Dasmarinas 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, Celaya and Dasmarinas 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 Dasmarinas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 113% less than in Celaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.