Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Iloilo and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Iloilo: $693 a month against $1,561 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Iloilo
🇵🇭 Philippines
$693
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,561
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Iloilo and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Iloilo and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $693 per month in Iloilo vs $1,561 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Iloilo $693
  • Mexico City $1,561

A couple spends around $1,054 per month in Iloilo vs $2,440 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Iloilo $1,054
  • Mexico City $2,440

A family of three spends $1,416 per month in Iloilo vs $3,319 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • Iloilo $1,416
  • Mexico City $3,319

Iloilo is about 56% cheaper than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Iloilo sits 48% below the global median, while Mexico City is 16% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Iloilo
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.83 ₱177
$11.12 MX$204
-74.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.43 ₱1,219
$48.99 MX$900
-60.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.15 ₱198
$11.23 MX$206
-71.95%
Cappuccino
$2.09 ₱131
$3.76 MX$69.0
-44.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 ₱40.93
$1.65 MX$30.34
-60.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 ₱21.39
$1.28 MX$23.48
-73.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.06 ₱66.6
$3.26 MX$59.8
-67.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 ₱113
$5.66 MX$104
-68.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Iloilo
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 ₱106
$1.81 MX$33.23
-6.63%
White Bread (500g)
$1.20 ₱75.1
$2.94 MX$54.0
-59.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.84 ₱52.9
$2.05 MX$37.62
-59.02%
Eggs
$2.06 ₱129
$2.93 MX$53.7
-29.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.05 ₱379
$11.95 MX$219
-49.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.04 ₱254
$9.51 MX$175
-57.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.18 ₱388
$14.84 MX$273
-58.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.32 ₱208
$3.14 MX$57.7
5.73%
Banana (1kg)
$1.04 ₱65.3
$2.01 MX$36.99
-48.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.06 ₱192
$2.08 MX$38.10
47.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.38 ₱86.4
$2.22 MX$40.72
-37.84%
Potato (1kg)
$2.39 ₱150
$2.06 MX$37.82
16.02%
Onion (1kg)
$2.71 ₱170
$1.88 MX$34.46
44.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 ₱92.4
$1.48 MX$27.18
-0.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 ₱50.8
$1.35 MX$24.70
-40.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.99 ₱188
$5.41 MX$99.3
-44.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.19 ₱388
$16.86 MX$310
-63.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 ₱68.8
$1.98 MX$36.43
-44.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26 ₱78.8
$4.32 MX$79.4
-70.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Iloilo
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 ₱15.09
$0.34 MX$6.33
-29.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$4.59 ₱288
$20.23 MX$371
-77.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.82 ₱51.4
$2.10 MX$38.47
-60.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.34 ₱21.10
$0.53 MX$9.74
-35.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.36 ₱148
$5.41 MX$99.3
-56.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 ₱72.9
$1.52 MX$27.91
-23.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K ₱1.4M
$21.7K MX$399.0K
0.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.5K ₱1.2M
$24.8K MX$455.6K
-21.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Iloilo
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$64.5 ₱4,044
$63.0 MX$1,156
2.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.82 ₱616
$28.88 MX$530
-66.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.65 ₱1,734
$33.93 MX$623
-18.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Iloilo
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$9.76 ₱612
$55.8 MX$1,024
-82.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$24.90 MX$457
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.70 ₱295
$6.77 MX$124
-30.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Iloilo
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$31.77 ₱1,993
$428 MX$7,854
-92.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$11.9K MX$218.0K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Iloilo
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.50 ₱1,474
$70.0 MX$1,286
-66.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.74 ₱1,113
$53.7 MX$986
-66.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$55.5 ₱3,480
$110 MX$2,016
-49.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$23.96 ₱1,503
$115 MX$2,115
-79.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Iloilo
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$308 ₱19.3K
$1,062 MX$19.5K
-70.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$246 ₱15.4K
$671 MX$12.3K
-63.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,184 ₱74.3K
$2,379 MX$43.7K
-50.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$436 ₱27.4K
$1,260 MX$23.1K
-65.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,633 ₱227.9K
$3,716 MX$68.2K
-2.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,055 ₱66.2K
$1,976 MX$36.3K
-46.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Iloilo
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$206 ₱12.9K
$997 MX$18.3K
-79.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.33
11.3
-35.13%

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

Last update for Iloilo: October 5, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Iloilo
$246
Mexico City
$671 172% $424
Groceries & Markets
Iloilo
$188
Mexico City
$327 73.9% $139
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Iloilo
$102
Mexico City
$126 23.4% $24
Eating Out
Iloilo
$70
Mexico City
$207 195% $137
Clothing & Footwear
Iloilo
$54
Mexico City
$157 189% $103
Sport & Entertainment
Iloilo
$19
Mexico City
$69 262% $50
Getting Around
Iloilo
$8.1
Mexico City
$26 227% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $308 in Iloilo versus $1,062 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 384% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Iloilo versus $49.00 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $327 – making Iloilo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Iloilo
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
17:50 5:50 PM
03:50 3:50 AM
14 h behind Iloilo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
457,626
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.28 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Iloilo Mexico City 14,350 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Iloilo
  • Mexico City

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
Iloilo vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mexico City cheaper than Iloilo?
Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 125%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,040 per month in Iloilo and $2,341 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Iloilo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Iloilo or in Mexico City?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Iloilo and $49.00 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Iloilo and in Mexico City?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $693 in Iloilo and $1,561 in Mexico City. That's a gap of about 125%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Iloilo or in Mexico City?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Iloilo, where all-in costs run around $693, than in Mexico City at $1,561. In Iloilo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Iloilo or Mexico City more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Iloilo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Iloilo or Mexico City?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Iloilo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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