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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $835 in Davao versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,279 in Davao versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,722 in Davao versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Davao costs roughly 43% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Davao is 37% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.54 ₱279

$13.07 MX$229

-65.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.96 ₱1,475

$53.8 MX$940

-55.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.64 ₱286

$9.68 MX$169

-52.07%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ₱127

$3.74 MX$65.4

-44.92%

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

$0.87 ₱53.3

$1.62 MX$28.25

-46.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₱32.95

$1.16 MX$20.31

-53.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 ₱86.5

$3.23 MX$56.4

-56.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱106

$4.74 MX$82.9

-63.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ₱103

$1.65 MX$28.80

1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ₱75.0

$2.75 MX$48.15

-55.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ₱59.4

$1.87 MX$32.77

-48.66%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱127

$2.50 MX$43.72

-17.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.20 ₱382

$10.20 MX$178

-39.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 ₱283

$8.25 MX$144

-44.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.43 ₱457

$11.82 MX$207

-37.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 ₱177

$3.01 MX$52.6

-4.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 ₱70.4

$1.81 MX$31.67

-37.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱148

$2.00 MX$34.96

20.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ₱87.3

$2.00 MX$34.89

-29.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱137

$2.08 MX$36.45

6.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 ₱194

$2.27 MX$39.72

38.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ₱80.7

$1.46 MX$25.47

-10.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₱37.28

$1.08 MX$18.82

-43.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 ₱167

$4.35 MX$76.0

-37.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.29 ₱510

$16.99 MX$297

-51.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 ₱86.6

$1.73 MX$30.31

-18.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₱96.4

$3.58 MX$62.5

-56.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.45

$0.39 MX$6.77

-43.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.45 ₱890

$18.69 MX$327

-22.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 ₱55.5

$1.33 MX$23.18

-32.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.47

$0.28 MX$4.89

-10.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₱129

$5.25 MX$91.8

-60.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱66.9

$1.34 MX$23.37

-18.66%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$19.4K MX$339.4K

13.30%

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

$21.0K ₱1.3M

$23.8K MX$416.7K

-11.91%

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

$105 ₱6,463

$40.69 MX$712

158.00%

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

$33.78 ₱2,080

$26.87 MX$470

25.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.75 ₱2,201

$30.51 MX$534

17.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.25 ₱2,539

$52.8 MX$923

-21.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.34 ₱267

$26.65 MX$466

-83.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 ₱271

$6.51 MX$114

-32.41%

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

$119 ₱7,315

$428 MX$7,485

-72.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,829 ₱482.0K

$10.5K MX$183.6K

-25.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 ₱4,040

$57.3 MX$1,001

14.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.82 ₱1,836

$45.50 MX$796

-34.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ₱4,792

$104 MX$1,819

-25.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ₱4,273

$108 MX$1,885

-35.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 ₱19.8K

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-67.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ₱11.3K

$623 MX$10.9K

-70.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 ₱50.2K

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-61.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 ₱22.2K

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-70.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,621 ₱99.8K

$3,885 MX$67.9K

-58.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,447 ₱89.1K

$2,033 MX$35.5K

-28.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$220 ₱13.5K

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-78.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

11.34

-15.70%

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

Last update for Davao: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $321 in Davao and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 372% 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: $24.00 in Davao vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $292 per month, with Davao 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

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

Davao is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 372% lower in Mexico City. 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: $321 in Davao versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Davao – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $835 per month in Davao versus $1,456 in Mexico City – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $835 in Davao versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Davao but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Davao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Davao is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Davao 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 Davao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.