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: $1,146 in Celaya versus $546 in Dasmarinas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,844 in Celaya versus $990 in Dasmarinas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,543 in Celaya versus $1,434 in Dasmarinas.

Living in Celaya is roughly 110% more expensive than Dasmarinas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Celaya 15% lower, Dasmarinas 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.82 MX$206

$3.51 ₱212

236.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.07 MX$732

$13.37 ₱809

214.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 MX$136

$2.70 ₱163

190.74%

Cappuccino

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.62 ₱98.3

85.80%

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

$1.18 MX$20.49

$0.53 ₱32.21

122.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.35

$0.30 ₱18.40

213.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 MX$44.57

$1.03 ₱62.6

148.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.5

$1.35 ₱81.8

230.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$27.68

$1.63 ₱98.9

-2.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 MX$40.99

$1.10 ₱66.8

114.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.26

$0.84 ₱51.1

79.76%

Eggs

$1.93 MX$33.51

$1.99 ₱120

-3.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 MX$162

$5.52 ₱334

68.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.70 MX$151

$3.84 ₱232

126.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 MX$190

$7.80 ₱472

40.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$50.8

$2.69 ₱163

8.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$27.41

$1.40 ₱84.6

12.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.38

$1.74 ₱105

3.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.69 ₱41.95

169.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.36

$1.04 ₱62.9

100.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.61

$2.30 ₱139

-3.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 MX$22.96

$0.73 ₱44.29

80.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.98

$0.43 ₱25.77

113.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.6

$2.08 ₱126

95.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.20 MX$247

$9.19 ₱556

54.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.69

$1.07 ₱64.7

54.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 MX$58.1

$2.37 ₱143

40.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.90

$0.26 ₱15.69

119.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.43 MX$460

$4.50 ₱273

487.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 MX$13.53

$0.87 ₱52.9

-10.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 MX$28.05

$0.24 ₱14.60

570.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.58 MX$149

$2.36 ₱143

263.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 MX$21.60

$1.11 ₱67.4

11.71%

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

$26.3K MX$456.8K

$32.1K ₱1.9M

-18.26%

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

$22.3K MX$387.5K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

7.48%

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

$45.95 MX$799

$44.14 ₱2,671

4.10%

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

$22.54 MX$392

$34.55 ₱2,091

-34.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.99 MX$365

$26.15 ₱1,582

-19.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.49 MX$635

$11.79 ₱713

209.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 MX$279

$4.52 ₱274

255.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 MX$81.7

$5.78 ₱350

-18.69%

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

$221 MX$3,838

$149 ₱9,017

48.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,422 MX$59.5K

$4,807 ₱290.9K

-28.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 MX$1,007

$48.47 ₱2,933

19.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.02 MX$731

$27.44 ₱1,660

53.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 MX$1,708

$75.8 ₱4,585

29.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 MX$1,268

$46.97 ₱2,842

55.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MX$8,859

$265 ₱16.0K

92.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,833

$82.8 ₱5,008

374.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$945 MX$16.4K

$592 ₱35.8K

59.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 MX$13.2K

$389 ₱23.5K

95.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$407 ₱24.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$872 MX$15.2K

$379 ₱22.9K

130.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

6.4

79.69%

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

Last update for Celaya: April 21, 2026

Last update for Dasmarinas: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $509 in Celaya and $265 in Dasmarinas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Celaya pays 130% 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: $42 in Celaya vs $13 in Dasmarinas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $174 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 110% in total monthly costs ($1,146 vs $546 including rent). Dasmarinas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Celaya pays 130% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $509 in Celaya versus $265 in Dasmarinas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dasmarinas – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $42.00 in Celaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,146 per month in Celaya versus $546 in Dasmarinas – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $546 in Dasmarinas versus $1,146 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 110% less than in Celaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.