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: $1,144 in Celaya versus $540 in Dasmarinas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,839 in Celaya versus $964 in Dasmarinas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Celaya versus $1,388 in Dasmarinas.

Living in Celaya is roughly 112% more expensive than in Dasmarinas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Celaya 14% lower, Dasmarinas 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 MX$201

$3.61 ₱223

218.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.91 MX$751

$13.13 ₱810

226.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 MX$141

$2.61 ₱161

208.05%

Cappuccino

$3.00 MX$52.6

$1.64 ₱102

82.93%

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

$1.13 MX$19.86

$0.59 ₱36.27

91.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$16.17

$0.31 ₱19.05

196.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 MX$46.43

$1.04 ₱64.2

154.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 MX$80.5

$1.31 ₱80.6

250.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MX$27.40

$1.60 ₱98.8

-2.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 MX$39.84

$1.07 ₱65.9

112.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 MX$26.69

$0.79 ₱49.06

92.41%

Eggs

$1.93 MX$33.77

$2.06 ₱127

-6.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.38 MX$164

$5.58 ₱344

68.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 MX$150

$3.84 ₱237

123.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 MX$189

$8.09 ₱499

33.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$50.6

$2.62 ₱162

10.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 MX$28.10

$1.38 ₱85.5

15.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 MX$31.91

$1.74 ₱107

4.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.60

$0.69 ₱42.38

178.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.44

$1.09 ₱67.1

100.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.84

$2.28 ₱141

-2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 MX$22.36

$0.71 ₱43.89

80.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.45

$0.45 ₱27.82

108.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.89 MX$68.1

$2.14 ₱132

81.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.33 MX$303

$9.11 ₱563

90.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$29.53

$1.07 ₱66.0

57.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 MX$60.6

$2.35 ₱145

47.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.92

$0.28 ₱17.38

103.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.25 MX$460

$4.31 ₱266

509.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 MX$14.04

$0.86 ₱53.0

-6.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 MX$26.77

$0.24 ₱14.91

537.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.81 MX$154

$2.43 ₱150

262.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.08

$1.11 ₱68.4

18.92%

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

$26.0K MX$454.6K

$32.2K ₱2.0M

-19.47%

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

$21.7K MX$380.3K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

4.56%

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

$45.79 MX$802

$44.04 ₱2,719

3.97%

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

$22.28 MX$390

$34.48 ₱2,128

-35.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.26 MX$372

$26.34 ₱1,626

-19.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.77 MX$626

$11.94 ₱737

199.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.70 MX$275

$4.49 ₱277

249.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MX$84.2

$5.79 ₱358

-16.93%

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

$218 MX$3,824

$154 ₱9,485

42.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,407 MX$59.7K

$4,737 ₱292.4K

-28.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 MX$1,009

$47.83 ₱2,952

20.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.04 MX$736

$27.93 ₱1,724

50.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 MX$1,739

$74.4 ₱4,594

33.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 MX$1,311

$46.92 ₱2,897

59.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 MX$8,795

$263 ₱16.3K

90.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 MX$6,973

$85.0 ₱5,249

368.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 MX$16.1K

$582 ₱35.9K

57.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 MX$13.6K

$402 ₱24.8K

92.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$392 ₱24.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$871 MX$15.3K

$359 ₱22.1K

142.83%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Dasmarinas: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $502 in Celaya and $263 in Dasmarinas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Celaya pays 143% 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: $43.00 in Celaya vs $13.00 in Dasmarinas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 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 112% in total monthly costs ($1,144 vs $540 including rent). Dasmarinas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 143% higher in Celaya, 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: $502 in Celaya versus $263 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 $43.00 in Celaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,144 per month in Celaya versus $540 in Dasmarinas – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $540 in Dasmarinas versus $1,144 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 112% less than in Celaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.