Cost of Living Comparison Between Island Garden City of Samal and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Island Garden City of Samal and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $707 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $1,472 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,099 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $2,359 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,491 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $3,245 in Mexico City, rent included.

Island Garden City of Samal is about 52% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Island Garden City of Samal sits 47% below the global median, while Mexico City is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.36 ₱83.0

$13.14 MX$228

-89.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.36 ₱752

$53.5 MX$927

-76.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.57 ₱278

$9.33 MX$162

-51.02%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ₱124

$3.70 MX$64.1

-45.14%

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

$0.86 ₱52.4

$1.60 MX$27.80

-46.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱31.76

$1.12 MX$19.37

-53.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 ₱84.2

$3.14 MX$54.4

-56.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₱109

$4.85 MX$84.0

-62.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₱76.7

$1.65 MX$28.65

-23.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₱33.64

$2.71 MX$47.02

-79.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₱44.62

$1.91 MX$33.07

-61.78%

Eggs

$2.08 ₱127

$2.59 MX$44.87

-19.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.87 ₱357

$9.81 MX$170

-40.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 ₱198

$8.43 MX$146

-61.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.17 ₱315

$11.93 MX$207

-56.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ₱181

$2.95 MX$51.2

1.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ₱72.1

$1.74 MX$30.15

-32.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 ₱144

$2.04 MX$35.43

16.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 ₱76.9

$2.06 MX$35.69

-38.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 ₱140

$2.15 MX$37.25

6.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 ₱99.3

$2.26 MX$39.08

-27.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 ₱55.2

$1.39 MX$24.01

-34.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₱27.89

$1.12 MX$19.34

-58.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 ₱163

$4.22 MX$73.1

-36.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.02 ₱488

$17.51 MX$303

-54.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₱75.7

$1.71 MX$29.62

-27.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱73.4

$3.63 MX$62.9

-66.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.16

$0.35 MX$6.11

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$335

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₱41.53

$1.38 MX$23.84

-50.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.09 ₱5.19

$0.28 MX$4.78

-67.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₱130

$5.28 MX$91.4

-59.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱66.7

$1.36 MX$23.53

-19.12%

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

$22.2K ₱1.4M

$19.1K MX$331.0K

16.38%

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

$21.1K ₱1.3M

$23.6K MX$409.0K

-10.42%

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

$99.0 ₱6,026

$40.53 MX$702

144.21%

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

$33.65 ₱2,049

$27.38 MX$474

22.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.59 ₱2,228

$30.38 MX$526

20.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.85 ₱2,061

$52.2 MX$905

-35.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.39 ₱267

$26.48 MX$459

-83.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 ₱271

$6.19 MX$107

-27.95%

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

$118 ₱7,178

$425 MX$7,365

-72.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,260 ₱259.4K

$10.7K MX$186.0K

-60.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.98 ₱2,738

$58.3 MX$1,010

-22.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.81 ₱1,815

$44.57 MX$772

-33.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.4 ₱4,715

$103 MX$1,793

-25.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.6 ₱4,176

$109 MX$1,884

-36.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 ₱16.2K

$1,014 MX$17.6K

-73.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₱10.9K

$623 MX$10.8K

-71.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 ₱36.4K

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-71.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₱23.6K

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-68.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,582 ₱157.2K

$3,792 MX$65.7K

-31.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$857 ₱52.2K

$2,110 MX$36.6K

-59.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

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 Island Garden City of Samal: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $267 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $1,014 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $160 vs $293 – making Island Garden City of Samal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Island Garden City of Samal vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 108% more than Island Garden City of Samal, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,060 per month in Island Garden City of Samal and $2,208 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Island Garden City of Samal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Island Garden City of Samal and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 83% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Island Garden City of Samal, where all-in costs run around $707, than in Mexico City at $1,472. In Island Garden City of Samal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Island Garden City of Samal costs $707 versus $1,472 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Island Garden City of Samal. 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.