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: $1,143 in Celaya versus $542 in Dasmarinas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,820 in Celaya versus $976 in Dasmarinas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,498 in Celaya versus $1,409 in Dasmarinas.

Living in Celaya is roughly 111% more expensive than Dasmarinas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Celaya 15% lower, Dasmarinas 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.57 MX$202

$3.61 ₱223

220.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.00 MX$734

$13.43 ₱828

212.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 MX$142

$2.68 ₱165

202.99%

Cappuccino

$2.92 MX$51.1

$1.59 ₱97.9

83.65%

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

$1.13 MX$19.72

$0.53 ₱32.86

113.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.61

$0.33 ₱20.48

187.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 MX$45.55

$1.09 ₱67.0

139.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 MX$79.3

$1.36 ₱84.1

233.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 MX$28.44

$1.65 ₱102

-1.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 MX$41.50

$1.06 ₱65.6

124.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 MX$26.58

$0.86 ₱52.8

76.74%

Eggs

$2.03 MX$35.51

$2.06 ₱127

-1.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.52 MX$166

$5.68 ₱350

67.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.70 MX$152

$3.72 ₱229

133.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 MX$190

$8.09 ₱499

34.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 MX$49.69

$2.69 ₱166

5.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MX$26.56

$1.45 ₱89.5

4.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 MX$30.78

$1.73 ₱107

1.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.47

$0.68 ₱41.74

182.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 MX$36.83

$1.09 ₱67.0

93.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.76

$2.20 ₱136

0.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 MX$23.23

$0.68 ₱41.64

95.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$16.09

$0.42 ₱26.16

119.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 MX$70.5

$2.17 ₱134

86.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.06 MX$281

$8.94 ₱551

79.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.32

$1.08 ₱66.6

61.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MX$60.7

$2.26 ₱139

53.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.51

$0.28 ₱17.31

114.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.50 MX$463

$4.50 ₱277

488.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 MX$13.28

$0.86 ₱53.3

-11.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 MX$28.01

$0.24 ₱14.82

566.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.70 MX$152

$2.33 ₱144

273.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.71

$1.15 ₱70.9

13.04%

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

$25.7K MX$449.2K

$31.7K ₱2.0M

-18.89%

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

$22.1K MX$386.8K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

8.18%

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

$46.96 MX$820

$43.28 ₱2,668

8.50%

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

$22.29 MX$389

$34.52 ₱2,128

-35.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.01 MX$367

$26.51 ₱1,634

-20.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.66 MX$623

$11.66 ₱718

205.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 MX$281

$4.47 ₱275

260.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$85.3

$5.68 ₱350

-13.91%

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

$220 MX$3,843

$154 ₱9,493

42.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,431 MX$59.9K

$4,656 ₱287.0K

-26.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 MX$1,030

$48.00 ₱2,958

22.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.66 MX$745

$27.21 ₱1,677

56.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,764

$74.9 ₱4,619

34.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.2 MX$1,313

$46.65 ₱2,875

61.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MX$8,827

$264 ₱16.3K

91.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 MX$6,895

$85.4 ₱5,265

362.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 MX$16.3K

$576 ₱35.5K

61.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 MX$13.4K

$388 ₱23.9K

97.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$407 ₱25.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$865 MX$15.1K

$357 ₱22.0K

142.25%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Dasmarinas: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $505 in Celaya and $264 in Dasmarinas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Celaya pays 142% 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: $42.00 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 111% in total monthly costs ($1,143 vs $542 including rent). Dasmarinas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Celaya pays 142% 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: $505 in Celaya versus $264 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 $1,143 per month in Celaya versus $542 in Dasmarinas – a 111% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $542 in Dasmarinas versus $1,143 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 111% less than in Celaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.