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: $1,188 in Makati versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Makati costs roughly 18% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Makati is 11% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱402

$13.07 MX$229

-50.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,770

$53.8 MX$943

-16.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$9.68 MX$170

-50.52%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$3.74 MX$65.6

-21.12%

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

$1.20 ₱73.8

$1.62 MX$28.34

-25.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.43

$1.16 MX$20.37

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$3.23 MX$56.6

-27.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱219

$4.74 MX$83.1

-24.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.65 MX$28.89

29.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.1

$2.75 MX$48.30

-48.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.6

$1.87 MX$32.87

-40.64%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.50 MX$43.86

-6.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱492

$10.20 MX$179

-21.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$8.25 MX$145

-45.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$11.82 MX$207

-34.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱279

$3.01 MX$52.8

50.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.81 MX$31.77

9.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$2.00 MX$35.07

36.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$2.00 MX$35.00

14.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$2.08 MX$36.56

65.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$2.27 MX$39.85

23.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.46 MX$25.55

-21.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.7

$1.08 MX$18.88

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱184

$4.35 MX$76.3

-31.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱493

$16.99 MX$298

-52.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱76.9

$1.73 MX$30.40

-27.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$3.58 MX$62.7

-37.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.57

$0.39 MX$6.79

30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱220

$18.69 MX$328

-80.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.05

$1.33 MX$23.25

-42.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.20

$0.28 MX$4.91

-53.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$5.25 MX$92.1

-34.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$1.34 MX$23.44

-14.18%

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$19.4K MX$340.5K

75.48%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$23.8K MX$418.0K

-7.58%

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

$170 ₱10.4K

$40.69 MX$714

316.98%

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

$27.66 ₱1,703

$26.87 MX$471

2.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,203

$30.51 MX$535

17.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,371

$52.8 MX$926

3.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱741

$26.65 MX$467

-54.86%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱505

$6.51 MX$114

25.96%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$428 MX$7,508

-24.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱472.8K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-26.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,628

$57.3 MX$1,004

2.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,209

$45.50 MX$798

-21.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,174

$104 MX$1,825

-19.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,609

$108 MX$1,891

14.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.4K

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-34.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$623 MX$10.9K

-37.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱139.9K

$2,109 MX$37.0K

7.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.0K

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-17.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.2K

$3,885 MX$68.1K

54.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱229.8K

$2,033 MX$35.7K

83.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₱37.3K

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-41.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.34

-41.18%

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

Last update for Makati: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Makati and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 71% 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: $45.00 in Makati vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $292 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 23% 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 71% 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: $657 in Makati versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,188 per month in Makati versus $1,456 in Mexico City – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Makati runs roughly 422% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,188 in Makati versus $1,456 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 $1,188 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 23% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.