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 $719 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,097 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,476 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $3,278 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 46% below the global median, while Mexico City is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.31 ₱80.2

$12.98 MX$226

-89.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.51 ₱765

$53.1 MX$923

-76.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.47 ₱274

$9.72 MX$169

-54.01%

Cappuccino

$2.13 ₱131

$3.75 MX$65.2

-43.20%

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

$0.81 ₱49.69

$1.57 MX$27.30

-48.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.45

$1.13 MX$19.64

-53.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ₱88.8

$3.18 MX$55.3

-54.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₱111

$4.66 MX$81.1

-60.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₱74.3

$1.62 MX$28.21

-25.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ₱36.60

$2.71 MX$47.09

-77.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 ₱42.18

$1.88 MX$32.70

-63.30%

Eggs

$2.05 ₱126

$2.51 MX$43.65

-18.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.88 ₱360

$10.08 MX$175

-41.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 ₱199

$8.29 MX$144

-60.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.27 ₱323

$11.94 MX$208

-55.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 ₱177

$2.86 MX$49.77

1.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 ₱69.4

$1.75 MX$30.45

-35.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ₱140

$2.08 MX$36.27

10.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ₱77.6

$1.97 MX$34.27

-35.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱141

$2.16 MX$37.58

6.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 ₱96.4

$2.18 MX$37.94

-27.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ₱55.3

$1.39 MX$24.20

-35.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.46

$1.12 MX$19.57

-55.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 ₱161

$4.20 MX$73.1

-37.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₱500

$14.25 MX$248

-42.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₱76.0

$1.76 MX$30.68

-29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 ₱74.5

$3.68 MX$64.1

-66.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.21

$0.39 MX$6.71

-28.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 ₱42.16

$1.39 MX$24.12

-50.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.09 ₱5.78

$0.30 MX$5.29

-70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₱132

$5.42 MX$94.3

-59.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.1

$1.35 MX$23.50

-14.81%

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

$21.9K ₱1.3M

$18.9K MX$328.6K

16.24%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$23.2K MX$402.8K

-10.28%

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

$100 ₱6,125

$40.82 MX$710

145.27%

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

$34.22 ₱2,094

$27.50 MX$479

24.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.41 ₱2,227

$30.38 MX$529

19.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.49 ₱2,110

$53.4 MX$930

-35.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.36 ₱267

$26.30 MX$458

-83.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 ₱268

$6.27 MX$109

-29.98%

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

$120 ₱7,321

$436 MX$7,588

-72.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,354 ₱266.4K

$10.5K MX$182.1K

-58.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.40 ₱2,839

$56.8 MX$988

-18.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.67 ₱1,815

$44.79 MX$779

-33.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 ₱4,672

$103 MX$1,789

-25.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 ₱4,235

$108 MX$1,878

-35.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 ₱16.0K

$1,000 MX$17.4K

-73.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 ₱10.8K

$620 MX$10.8K

-71.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 ₱36.4K

$2,137 MX$37.2K

-72.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ₱24.6K

$1,235 MX$21.5K

-67.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,083 ₱127.5K

$3,865 MX$67.3K

-46.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.6K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $1,000 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 $13.00 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $160 vs $286 – 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 106% 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 $1,078 per month in Island Garden City of Samal and $2,225 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 $13.00 in Island Garden City of Samal and $53.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 78% 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 $719, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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 $719 versus $1,484 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.