Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Makati and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,228 in Makati versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Makati versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Makati versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Makati costs roughly 25% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Makati is 11% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 ₱411

$12.11 MX$206

-45.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.99 ₱2,501

$52.2 MX$887

-23.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 ₱287

$10.90 MX$185

-57.89%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ₱173

$4.05 MX$68.8

-31.85%

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

$1.07 ₱67.2

$1.72 MX$29.13

-37.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.17

$1.38 MX$23.40

-67.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱151

$3.47 MX$58.9

-30.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱203

$5.81 MX$98.7

-44.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ₱115

$1.85 MX$31.48

-1.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ₱80.6

$3.22 MX$54.7

-59.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.3

$2.09 MX$35.42

-50.72%

Eggs

$2.38 ₱149

$2.91 MX$49.41

-18.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 ₱457

$12.49 MX$212

-41.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 ₱303

$10.11 MX$172

-52.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 ₱449

$15.89 MX$270

-54.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱249

$3.31 MX$56.3

20.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ₱127

$2.13 MX$36.12

-4.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 ₱204

$2.19 MX$37.20

48.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 ₱144

$2.45 MX$41.57

-5.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$2.19 MX$37.18

58.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$1.90 MX$32.35

82.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱70.0

$1.62 MX$27.44

-30.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₱69.4

$1.35 MX$22.92

-17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 ₱169

$5.43 MX$92.1

-50.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 ₱491

$17.59 MX$299

-55.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₱87.4

$2.07 MX$35.12

-32.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱130

$4.75 MX$80.6

-56.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₱56.1

$0.34 MX$5.77

164.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.3 ₱3,581

$21.58 MX$366

165.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.09

$2.04 MX$34.65

-70.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.10

$0.58 MX$9.82

-63.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱117

$5.97 MX$101

-68.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱78.3

$1.62 MX$27.44

-22.84%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$22.8K MX$387.4K

-6.78%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$26.7K MX$452.8K

-26.12%

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

$154 ₱9,611

$65.2 MX$1,108

135.61%

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

$15.78 ₱987

$29.87 MX$507

-47.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.11 ₱2,008

$36.55 MX$621

-12.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 ₱3,413

$61.0 MX$1,036

-10.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 ₱901

$26.70 MX$453

-46.03%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 ₱462

$6.85 MX$116

7.88%

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

$790 ₱49.4K

$453 MX$7,700

74.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,405 ₱463.0K

$13.4K MX$227.1K

-44.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ₱3,741

$75.0 MX$1,273

-20.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.65 ₱2,354

$55.3 MX$939

-31.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,137

$114 MX$1,929

-27.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₱6,468

$123 MX$2,083

-15.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ₱46.8K

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-33.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 ₱26.9K

$712 MX$12.1K

-39.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 ₱142.3K

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-11.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 ₱67.5K

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-17.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,003 ₱375.4K

$3,993 MX$67.8K

50.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,832 ₱239.6K

$2,095 MX$35.6K

82.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.1K

$1,047 MX$17.8K

-41.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

11.3

-33.63%

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

Last update for Makati: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $748 in Makati and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 72% 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: $40.00 in Makati vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $345 per month, with Makati 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

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

Makati wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Makati the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 72% lower in Mexico City. 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: $748 in Makati versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,228 per month in Makati versus $1,646 in Mexico City – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Makati runs roughly 165% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,228 in Makati versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Makati but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Makati the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Makati delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,228 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Makati hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati and Mexico City 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 Makati gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.