Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotabato City and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotabato City and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $754 in Cotabato City versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,149 in Cotabato City versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,544 in Cotabato City versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Cotabato City costs roughly 55% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cotabato City is 45% below, Mexico City is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.92 ₱307

$12.14 MX$205

-59.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.52 ₱1,030

$53.9 MX$911

-69.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.11 ₱256

$11.09 MX$187

-62.94%

Cappuccino

$2.15 ₱134

$4.10 MX$69.3

-47.56%

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

$1.08 ₱67.6

$1.68 MX$28.44

-35.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₱43.73

$1.39 MX$23.47

-49.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ₱70.5

$3.33 MX$56.3

-66.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₱118

$5.88 MX$99.4

-67.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 ₱127

$1.85 MX$31.30

10.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ₱68.2

$3.17 MX$53.6

-65.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 ₱51.7

$2.07 MX$35.01

-59.90%

Eggs

$1.94 ₱121

$2.93 MX$49.51

-33.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₱429

$12.59 MX$213

-45.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 ₱259

$10.11 MX$171

-58.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.49 ₱530

$16.09 MX$272

-47.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 ₱163

$3.39 MX$57.3

-22.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 ₱70.2

$2.08 MX$35.14

-45.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ₱144

$2.12 MX$35.85

8.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ₱75.0

$2.41 MX$40.82

-50.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 ₱134

$2.13 MX$36.00

0.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 ₱217

$2.01 MX$33.90

73.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₱74.5

$1.55 MX$26.13

-23.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₱42.37

$1.36 MX$23.08

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 ₱159

$5.77 MX$97.5

-55.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 ₱495

$17.74 MX$300

-55.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱80.9

$2.07 MX$35.00

-37.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₱99.0

$4.61 MX$78.0

-65.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.46

$0.37 MX$6.19

-32.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.14 ₱695

$21.18 MX$358

-47.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.9

$2.05 MX$34.73

-60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.24

$0.58 MX$9.75

-60.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱118

$6.07 MX$103

-68.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₱73.1

$1.55 MX$26.25

-24.52%

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

$21.6K ₱1.3M

$22.9K MX$386.8K

-5.37%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

$27.2K MX$460.5K

-30.40%

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

$108 ₱6,720

$67.4 MX$1,140

59.87%

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

$19.17 ₱1,195

$30.62 MX$518

-37.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.98 ₱1,994

$37.24 MX$630

-14.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.42 ₱2,021

$61.5 MX$1,039

-47.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.93 ₱308

$27.12 MX$459

-81.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 ₱303

$7.11 MX$120

-31.65%

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

$109 ₱6,783

$456 MX$7,714

-76.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,655 ₱477.3K

$13.7K MX$231.5K

-44.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.37 ₱2,019

$74.2 MX$1,255

-56.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.46 ₱1,214

$57.0 MX$964

-65.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 ₱4,470

$115 MX$1,951

-37.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.7 ₱3,845

$122 MX$2,055

-49.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₱16.8K

$1,148 MX$19.4K

-76.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 ₱10.9K

$709 MX$12.0K

-75.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 ₱31.5K

$2,577 MX$43.6K

-80.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 ₱22.3K

$1,295 MX$21.9K

-72.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,636 ₱164.4K

$4,005 MX$67.7K

-34.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,030 ₱64.2K

$2,130 MX$36.0K

-51.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.31

11.3

-26.46%

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

Last update for Cotabato City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in Cotabato City and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $17.00 in Cotabato City vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $345 per month, with Cotabato City 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

Cotabato City vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cotabato City wins on cost – living expenses run 122% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cotabato City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,131 in Cotabato City and $2,515 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $269 in Cotabato City versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $754 per month in Cotabato City versus $1,677 in Mexico City – a 122% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cotabato City runs roughly 90% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $754 in Cotabato City versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cotabato City but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Cotabato City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cotabato City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $754 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cotabato City hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Cotabato City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.