Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Laoag City and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Laoag City: $731 a month against $1,548 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Laoag City
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Laoag City Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

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Laoag City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$731

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,548

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Laoag City 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 Laoag City and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $731 per month in Laoag City vs $1,548 in Mexico City, rent included.

Laoag City $731
Mexico City $1,548

A couple spends around $1,115 per month in Laoag City vs $2,436 in Mexico City, rent included.

Laoag City $1,115
Mexico City $2,436

A family of three spends $1,499 per month in Laoag City vs $3,323 in Mexico City, rent included.

Laoag City $1,499
Mexico City $3,323

Laoag City is about 53% cheaper than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Laoag City sits 46% below the global median, while Mexico City is 14% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 ₱248

$11.02 MX$204

-64.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.45 ₱1,035

$48.68 MX$900

-66.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.74 ₱173

$10.90 MX$201

-74.86%

Cappuccino

$2.28 ₱143

$3.68 MX$68.1

-38.04%

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

$0.65 ₱41.08

$1.63 MX$30.18

-60.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₱20.90

$1.25 MX$23.07

-73.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₱73.3

$3.25 MX$60.1

-64.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₱120

$5.53 MX$102

-65.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₱107

$1.70 MX$31.50

-0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 ₱72.9

$3.02 MX$55.8

-61.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱61.2

$1.92 MX$35.53

-49.48%

Eggs

$1.93 ₱122

$2.73 MX$50.5

-29.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.63 ₱355

$11.77 MX$218

-52.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 ₱256

$9.53 MX$176

-57.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.89 ₱434

$14.41 MX$266

-52.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 ₱152

$3.02 MX$55.8

-19.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ₱101

$1.89 MX$35.01

-14.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.99 MX$36.70

18.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 ₱74.4

$2.19 MX$40.38

-46.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 ₱122

$1.92 MX$35.43

0.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.87 MX$34.49

2.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₱58.2

$1.44 MX$26.62

-36.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.64

$1.27 MX$23.39

-58.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 ₱182

$5.22 MX$96.4

-44.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.66 ₱482

$16.17 MX$299

-52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₱58.8

$1.90 MX$35.03

-51.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₱122

$4.22 MX$78.0

-54.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱16.50

$0.34 MX$6.30

-23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.25 ₱709

$19.65 MX$363

-42.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱50.0

$2.00 MX$36.90

-60.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.85

$0.52 MX$9.67

-57.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ₱123

$5.34 MX$98.7

-63.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 ₱60.8

$1.52 MX$28.13

-36.18%

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

$21.5K ₱1.4M

$22.1K MX$408.0K

-2.49%

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

$19.5K ₱1.2M

$24.5K MX$452.9K

-20.39%

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

$122 ₱7,674

$61.1 MX$1,129

99.59%

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

$15.30 ₱963

$28.58 MX$528

-46.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 ₱1,521

$34.47 MX$637

-29.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.19 ₱2,027

$56.4 MX$1,042

-42.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.68 ₱295

$24.88 MX$460

-81.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.29 ₱333

$6.66 MX$123

-20.57%

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

$134 ₱8,463

$427 MX$7,891

-68.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,879 ₱496.1K

$11.6K MX$215.0K

-32.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.37 ₱2,101

$67.8 MX$1,253

-50.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.56 ₱1,231

$52.0 MX$960

-62.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 ₱4,519

$106 MX$1,959

-32.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 ₱3,521

$113 MX$2,080

-50.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 ₱16.8K

$1,025 MX$18.9K

-73.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 ₱10.8K

$654 MX$12.1K

-73.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 ₱32.8K

$2,308 MX$42.7K

-77.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 ₱22.7K

$1,242 MX$22.9K

-70.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,415 ₱152.1K

$3,613 MX$66.8K

-33.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,009 ₱63.5K

$1,936 MX$35.8K

-47.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 ₱10.2K

$964 MX$17.8K

-83.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

11.3

-39.91%

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

Last update for Laoag City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Laoag City

$179 24.5%

Mexico City

$318 20.6% 78% $139

Accommodation & Living

Laoag City

$172 23.5%

Mexico City

$654 42.3% 281% $483

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Laoag City

$161 22.1%

Mexico City

$124 8% 23.1% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Laoag City

$81 11.1%

Mexico City

$152 9.8% 87.3% $71

Eating Out

Laoag City

$81 11.1%

Mexico City

$204 13.2% 153% $123

Sport & Entertainment

Laoag City

$43 5.9%

Mexico City

$70 4.5% 62.9% $27

Getting Around

Laoag City

$14 1.9%

Mexico City

$26 1.7% 80.5% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $267 in Laoag City versus $1,025 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 494% 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 $16.00 in Laoag City versus $49.00 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $318 – making Laoag City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Laoag City

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

20:36 8:36 PM

06:36 6:36 AM

14 h behind Laoag City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

112,117

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 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 October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Laoag City Mexico City 13,990 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Laoag City
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

Laoag City vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 112% more than Laoag City, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,096 per month in Laoag City and $2,322 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $731 in Laoag City and $1,548 in Mexico City. That's a gap of about 112%.

Public transport costs about 75% less in Laoag City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Laoag City, where all-in costs run around $731, than in Mexico City at $1,548. In Laoag City 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. Laoag City costs $731 versus $1,548 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Laoag City. 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.