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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $835 in Davao versus $892 in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,279 in Davao versus $1,379 in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,722 in Davao versus $1,867 in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Living in Davao costs roughly 6% less than in San Cristobal de las Casas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Davao 37% lower, San Cristobal de las Casas 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.54 ₱279

$5.22 MX$91.3

-13.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.96 ₱1,475

$26.65 MX$466

-10.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.64 ₱286

$5.94 MX$104

-21.89%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ₱127

$2.33 MX$40.70

-11.59%

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

$0.87 ₱53.3

$1.63 MX$28.53

-46.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₱32.95

$0.99 MX$17.36

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 ₱86.5

$2.44 MX$42.58

-42.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₱106

$4.90 MX$85.7

-64.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ₱103

$1.39 MX$24.30

20.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ₱75.0

$2.92 MX$51.0

-58.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ₱59.4

$1.54 MX$26.91

-37.66%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱127

$3.43 MX$60.0

-39.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.20 ₱382

$6.91 MX$121

-10.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 ₱283

$4.09 MX$71.5

12.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.43 ₱457

$6.87 MX$120

8.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 ₱177

$3.18 MX$55.6

-9.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 ₱70.4

$1.94 MX$33.91

-41.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱148

$1.75 MX$30.62

37.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ₱87.3

$1.46 MX$25.46

-2.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱137

$1.65 MX$28.92

34.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 ₱194

$1.42 MX$24.85

121.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ₱80.7

$1.43 MX$25.09

-8.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₱37.28

$1.33 MX$23.29

-54.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 ₱167

$1.88 MX$32.87

44.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.29 ₱510

$10.72 MX$187

-22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 ₱86.6

$1.96 MX$34.27

-28.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₱96.4

$2.25 MX$39.30

-30.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.45

$0.54 MX$9.53

-59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.45 ₱890

$26.18 MX$458

-44.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 ₱55.5

$2.67 MX$46.69

-66.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.47

$2.49 MX$43.59

-89.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₱129

$8.28 MX$145

-74.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱66.9

$1.31 MX$22.95

-16.79%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$16.1K MX$281.3K

36.69%

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

$21.0K ₱1.3M

$22.6K MX$394.7K

-7.00%

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

$105 ₱6,463

$33.07 MX$578

217.45%

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

$33.78 ₱2,080

$19.79 MX$346

70.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.75 ₱2,201

$19.64 MX$343

82.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.25 ₱2,539

$21.50 MX$376

91.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.34 ₱267

$16.16 MX$283

-73.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 ₱271

$6.56 MX$115

-32.93%

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

$119 ₱7,315

$198 MX$3,461

-39.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,829 ₱482.0K

$2,513 MX$43.9K

211.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 ₱4,040

$26.01 MX$455

152.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.82 ₱1,836

$31.61 MX$553

-5.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ₱4,792

$83.3 MX$1,456

-6.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ₱4,273

$50.5 MX$883

37.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 ₱19.8K

$427 MX$7,463

-24.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ₱11.3K

$301 MX$5,267

-39.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 ₱50.2K

$860 MX$15.0K

-5.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 ₱22.2K

$506 MX$8,839

-28.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,621 ₱99.8K

$865 MX$15.1K

87.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,447 ₱89.1K

$679 MX$11.9K

113.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$220 ₱13.5K

$426 MX$7,445

-48.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

10.33

-7.45%

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

Last update for Davao: July 13, 2026

Last update for San Cristobal de las Casas: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $321 in Davao and $427 in San Cristobal de las Casas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Cristobal de las Casas pays 94% 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 $27.00 in San Cristobal de las Casas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $232 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 San Cristobal de las Casas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Davao is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 94% lower in San Cristobal de las Casas. 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 $427 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 $24.00 versus $27.00 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 $835 per month in Davao versus $892 in San Cristobal de las Casas – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $835 in Davao versus $892 in San Cristobal de las Casas, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Davao but tight or insufficient in San Cristobal de las Casas. 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 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 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 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.