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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $546 in Dasmarinas versus $1,466 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $990 in Dasmarinas versus $2,325 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,434 in Dasmarinas versus $3,184 in Mexico City.

Living in Dasmarinas costs roughly 63% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dasmarinas is 59% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 ₱212

$13.30 MX$231

-73.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.37 ₱809

$53.8 MX$935

-75.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.70 ₱163

$9.42 MX$164

-71.34%

Cappuccino

$1.62 ₱98.3

$3.59 MX$62.5

-54.87%

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

$0.53 ₱32.21

$1.62 MX$28.23

-67.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₱18.40

$1.12 MX$19.56

-73.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₱62.6

$3.25 MX$56.5

-68.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₱81.8

$4.65 MX$80.9

-70.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ₱98.9

$1.64 MX$28.47

-0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ₱66.8

$2.65 MX$46.16

-58.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 ₱51.1

$1.96 MX$34.10

-57.14%

Eggs

$1.99 ₱120

$2.54 MX$44.24

-21.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 ₱334

$9.97 MX$173

-44.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 ₱232

$8.39 MX$146

-54.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.80 ₱472

$11.83 MX$206

-34.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 ₱163

$2.86 MX$49.79

-5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 ₱84.6

$1.73 MX$30.15

-19.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ₱105

$1.99 MX$34.62

-12.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 ₱41.95

$2.05 MX$35.63

-66.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ₱62.9

$2.06 MX$35.77

-49.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 ₱139

$2.28 MX$39.68

0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ₱44.29

$1.45 MX$25.14

-49.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱25.77

$1.09 MX$18.90

-60.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 ₱126

$4.27 MX$74.2

-51.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.19 ₱556

$14.67 MX$255

-37.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₱64.7

$1.76 MX$30.68

-39.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ₱143

$3.57 MX$62.1

-33.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.69

$0.38 MX$6.69

-31.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.50 ₱273

$18.73 MX$326

-75.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱52.9

$1.39 MX$24.17

-37.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.60

$0.30 MX$5.28

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ₱143

$5.41 MX$94.1

-56.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱67.4

$1.34 MX$23.30

-17.16%

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

$32.1K ₱1.9M

$18.9K MX$327.8K

70.48%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$23.2K MX$403.4K

-10.65%

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

$44.14 ₱2,671

$40.30 MX$701

9.53%

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

$34.55 ₱2,091

$27.15 MX$472

27.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.15 ₱1,582

$29.46 MX$512

-11.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.79 ₱713

$52.7 MX$917

-77.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.52 ₱274

$26.17 MX$455

-82.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ₱350

$6.18 MX$107

-6.47%

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

$149 ₱9,017

$441 MX$7,664

-66.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,807 ₱290.9K

$10.7K MX$186.0K

-55.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.47 ₱2,933

$57.2 MX$995

-15.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.44 ₱1,660

$45.04 MX$783

-39.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 ₱4,585

$103 MX$1,799

-26.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.97 ₱2,842

$109 MX$1,891

-56.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 ₱16.0K

$1,000 MX$17.4K

-73.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.8 ₱5,008

$632 MX$11.0K

-86.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 ₱35.8K

$2,141 MX$37.2K

-72.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱23.5K

$1,253 MX$21.8K

-68.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 MX$65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$407 ₱24.6K

$2,381 MX$41.4K

-82.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$379 ₱22.9K

$1,079 MX$18.8K

-64.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

11.34

-43.56%

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

Last update for Dasmarinas: April 21, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $265 in Dasmarinas and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 185% 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: $13 in Dasmarinas vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $286 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

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

Dasmarinas and Mexico City differ by about 169% in total monthly costs ($546 vs $1,466 including rent). Dasmarinas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 185% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $265 in Dasmarinas versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dasmarinas runs roughly 316% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $149 in Dasmarinas versus $441 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $546 in Dasmarinas versus $1,466 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dasmarinas but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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, Dasmarinas and Mexico City 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 169% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.