Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Celaya and Dasmarinas

For one person, living is cheaper in Dasmarinas: $496 a month against $906 in Celaya, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Celaya
🇲🇽 Mexico
$906
/mo nomad
Dasmarinas
🇵🇭 Philippines
$496
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Celaya and in Dasmarinas

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $906 in Celaya versus $496 in Dasmarinas.

  • Celaya $906
  • Dasmarinas $496

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,435 in Celaya versus $738 in Dasmarinas.

  • Celaya $1,435
  • Dasmarinas $738

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,965 in Celaya versus $980 in Dasmarinas.

  • Celaya $1,965
  • Dasmarinas $980

Living in Celaya is roughly 83% more expensive than in Dasmarinas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Celaya 33% lower, Dasmarinas 63% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Celaya
Dasmarinas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.53 MX$231
$4.08 ₱257
207.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.98 MX$813
$16.95 ₱1,067
159.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.98 MX$129
$2.71 ₱171
157.56%
Cappuccino
$3.17 MX$58.5
$1.75 ₱110
81.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16 MX$21.38
$0.57 ₱35.76
103.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 MX$20.68
$0.31 ₱19.30
261.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 MX$39.10
$0.96 ₱60.1
120.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 MX$59.4
$1.58 ₱99.4
103.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Celaya
Dasmarinas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.48 MX$27.34
$1.39 ₱87.5
6.47%
White Bread (500g)
$2.16 MX$39.98
$1.10 ₱69.5
96.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 MX$27.27
$0.66 ₱41.36
124.24%
Eggs
$2.19 MX$40.55
$1.79 ₱113
22.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.99 MX$148
$4.94 ₱311
61.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.35 MX$154
$3.49 ₱219
139.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.22 MX$207
$4.72 ₱297
137.71%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 MX$40.57
$2.26 ₱143
-2.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.12 MX$20.69
$1.61 ₱102
-30.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.49 MX$27.51
$2.38 ₱150
-37.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.07 MX$19.73
$1.07 ₱67.3
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.58 MX$29.19
$1.75 ₱110
-9.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.39 MX$25.70
$1.72 ₱108
-19.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 MX$18.76
$0.61 ₱38.39
67.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 MX$14.56
$0.52 ₱32.54
51.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$79.4
$2.88 ₱181
49.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.55 MX$158
$8.59 ₱541
-0.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 MX$32.12
$0.93 ₱58.5
87.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 MX$63.9
$1.99 ₱125
73.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Celaya
Dasmarinas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.62 MX$11.53
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.80 MX$495
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.19 MX$22.07
$0.78 ₱48.96
52.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.14 MX$21.10
$0.25 ₱15.76
356.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.82 MX$200
$1.85 ₱117
484.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 MX$26.94
$1.11 ₱70.1
31.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.8K MX$458.4K
$21.4K ₱1.3M
15.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$444.1K
$18.9K ₱1.2M
27.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Celaya
Dasmarinas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$36.60 MX$676
$48.45 ₱3,050
-24.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.70 MX$346
$17.55 ₱1,105
6.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.88 MX$349
$23.72 ₱1,494
-20.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Celaya
Dasmarinas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.96 MX$591
$33.43 ₱2,105
-4.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.88 MX$497
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.94 MX$91.4
$5.30 ₱334
-6.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Celaya
Dasmarinas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$213 MX$3,944
$134 ₱8,415
59.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,905 MX$53.7K
$10.7K ₱674.0K
-72.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Celaya
Dasmarinas
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 MX$989
$28.53 ₱1,796
87.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.50 MX$693
$19.55 ₱1,231
91.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 MX$1,885
$72.5 ₱4,561
40.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.7 MX$1,306
$56.4 ₱3,552
25.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Celaya
Dasmarinas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$249 MX$4,596
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$217 MX$4,002
$46.95 ₱2,956
361.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$376 MX$6,948
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$288 MX$5,320
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Celaya
Dasmarinas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$823 MX$15.2K
$353 ₱22.2K
133.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.2
6.4
75.00%

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

Last update for Celaya: October 19, 2026

Last update for Dasmarinas: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Celaya
$233
Dasmarinas
$160 31.3% $73
Accommodation & Living
Celaya
$217
Dasmarinas
$47 78.3% $170
Eating Out
Celaya
$185
Dasmarinas
$73 60.5% $112
Clothing & Footwear
Celaya
$119
Dasmarinas
$80 32.9% $39
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Celaya
$74
Dasmarinas
$90 20.9% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Celaya
$42
Dasmarinas
$44 5.2% $2.2
Getting Around
Celaya
$36
Dasmarinas
$2 * 94.4% $34

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Celaya pays 133% 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: $44.00 in Celaya vs $17.00 in Dasmarinas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $160 per month, with Dasmarinas cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Celaya
🇵🇭 Dasmarinas
🕒 Local time
16:55 4:55 PM
06:55 6:55 AM
14 h ahead of Celaya
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
378,143
659,019
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Celaya Dasmarinas 14,030 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Celaya
  • Dasmarinas

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
Celaya vs Dasmarinas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Celaya and in Dasmarinas?
Celaya and Dasmarinas differ by about 83% in total monthly costs ($906 vs $496 including rent). Dasmarinas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Celaya or Dasmarinas?
Average pay runs 133% higher in Celaya, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Celaya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Celaya or Dasmarinas?
All in, you'll spend $906 per month in Celaya versus $496 in Dasmarinas – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How far does $1,200 go in Celaya compared to Dasmarinas?
Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Dasmarinas gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Celaya and Dasmarinas?
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.
Is Celaya or Dasmarinas safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Celaya or Dasmarinas?
Expats usually find Dasmarinas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Celaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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