Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Davao and San Cristobal de las Casas

For one person, living is cheaper in Davao: $839 a month against $897 in San Cristobal de las Casas, rent and utilities included – about $700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

40

Cost of Living Index in Davao
Learn more

Davao Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in San Cristobal de las Casas
Learn more

San Cristobal de las Casas Living Index

Jump to prices

Davao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$839

/mo nomad

San Cristobal de las Casas

🇲🇽 Mexico

$897

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Davao and in San Cristobal de las Casas

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Davao and in San Cristobal de las Casas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $839 in Davao versus $897 in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Davao $839
San Cristobal de las Casas $897

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,275 in Davao versus $1,399 in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Davao $1,275
San Cristobal de las Casas $1,399

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,712 in Davao versus $1,900 in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Davao $1,712
San Cristobal de las Casas $1,900

Living in Davao costs roughly 7% less than in San Cristobal de las Casas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Davao 38% lower, San Cristobal de las Casas 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.71 ₱299

$5.30 MX$99.3

-11.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.33 ₱1,672

$27.46 MX$515

-4.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.83 ₱243

$5.84 MX$109

-34.42%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ₱161

$2.56 MX$47.95

-1.17%

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

$1.06 ₱67.3

$1.59 MX$29.86

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₱39.64

$0.98 MX$18.42

-36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ₱97.0

$2.72 MX$51.0

-43.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₱151

$3.22 MX$60.3

-26.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ₱125

$1.45 MX$27.14

35.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 ₱68.0

$3.45 MX$64.7

-68.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₱57.9

$1.50 MX$28.19

-39.33%

Eggs

$1.84 ₱117

$2.23 MX$41.73

-17.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.41 ₱407

$6.39 MX$120

0.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 ₱292

$4.19 MX$78.6

9.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 ₱570

$6.14 MX$115

46.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ₱170

$3.28 MX$61.5

-18.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ₱67.3

$2.04 MX$38.23

-48.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 ₱154

$2.14 MX$40.05

13.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ₱72.3

$1.41 MX$26.44

-19.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 ₱126

$1.64 MX$30.79

21.34%

Onion (1kg)

$3.35 ₱213

$1.78 MX$33.36

88.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ₱78.6

$1.80 MX$33.66

-31.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱45.03

$1.53 MX$28.64

-53.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 ₱156

$1.83 MX$34.37

34.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 ₱507

$10.26 MX$192

-22.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₱80.5

$2.39 MX$44.79

-46.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₱100

$1.85 MX$34.69

-14.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ₱13.33

$0.56 MX$10.48

-62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.16 ₱836

$26.64 MX$499

-50.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱51.4

$2.71 MX$50.7

-70.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱15.32

$2.72 MX$51.0

-91.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ₱116

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₱77.2

$1.35 MX$25.33

-9.63%

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

$21.3K ₱1.4M

$18.7K MX$351.2K

13.86%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

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

$105 ₱6,661

$31.80 MX$596

229.87%

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

$19.14 ₱1,215

$14.22 MX$267

34.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.17 ₱1,916

$19.82 MX$372

52.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.37 ₱2,183

$22.13 MX$415

55.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.44 ₱218

$22.94 MX$430

-85.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 ₱302

$6.92 MX$130

-31.36%

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

$104 ₱6,623

$198 MX$3,718

-47.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,536 ₱478.6K

$2,631 MX$49.3K

186.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 ₱3,877

$18.93 MX$355

222.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.74 ₱1,952

$27.46 MX$515

11.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 ₱4,425

$96.0 MX$1,799

-27.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.1 ₱3,816

$54.0 MX$1,012

11.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 ₱22.2K

$424 MX$7,941

-17.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 ₱14.6K

$304 MX$5,700

-24.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 ₱45.9K

$847 MX$15.9K

-14.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$404 ₱25.6K

$534 MX$9,998

-24.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,584 ₱100.6K

$799 MX$15.0K

98.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,364 ₱86.6K

$658 MX$12.3K

107.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$207 ₱13.1K

$403 MX$7,556

-48.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.31

9.8

-15.20%

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

Last update for Davao: October 26, 2026

Last update for San Cristobal de las Casas: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Davao

$229 27.3%

San Cristobal de las Casas

$304 33.9% 32.8% $75

Groceries & Markets

Davao

$197 23.5%

San Cristobal de las Casas

$237 26.4% 20.2% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Davao

$154 18.4%

San Cristobal de las Casas

$66 7.3% 57.3% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Davao

$100 11.9%

San Cristobal de las Casas

$88 9.9% 11.4% $11

Eating Out

Davao

$99 11.8%

San Cristobal de las Casas

$121 13.5% 22.7% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Davao

$44 5.2%

San Cristobal de las Casas

$36 4% 18% $7.9

Getting Around

Davao

$16 1.9%

San Cristobal de las Casas

$45 5% 182% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $350 in Davao and $424 in San Cristobal de las Casas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Cristobal de las Casas pays 95% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $26 in Davao vs $27 in San Cristobal de las Casas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $237 per month, with Davao cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Davao

🇲🇽 San Cristobal de las Casas

🕒 Local time

22:52 10:52 PM

08:52 8:52 AM

14 h behind Davao

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,632,991

183,509

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 MXN = 5.34 USD

100 MXN = 4.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 63.51 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 70.87 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.74 MXN (100 MXN = 5.34 USD). 1 EUR = 20.91 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Davao San Cristobal de las Casas 15,050 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Davao
San Cristobal de las Casas

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 San Cristobal de las Casas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Davao is about 7% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 49% lower in Davao. 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: $350 in Davao versus $424 in San Cristobal de las Casas. 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 $26 versus $27 in San Cristobal de las Casas. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $839 per month in Davao versus $897 in San Cristobal de las Casas – Davao is about 7% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Davao gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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

Safety-wise, Davao and San Cristobal de las Casas are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Davao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in San Cristobal de las Casas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.