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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $632 per month in Mambajao vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,001 per month in Mambajao vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,370 per month in Mambajao vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Mambajao is about 57% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mambajao sits 53% below the global median, while Mexico City is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.55 ₱95.6

$13.18 MX$228

-88.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.49 ₱1,634

$53.9 MX$932

-50.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.41 ₱272

$9.42 MX$163

-53.18%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ₱187

$3.55 MX$61.4

-14.37%

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

$1.41 ₱86.9

$1.62 MX$27.98

-12.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱47.77

$1.11 MX$19.27

-30.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ₱69.2

$3.12 MX$54.0

-64.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ₱168

$4.63 MX$80.1

-41.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱82.0

$1.70 MX$29.43

-21.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 ₱55.9

$2.72 MX$47.02

-66.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ₱54.1

$1.91 MX$33.07

-53.93%

Eggs

$1.41 ₱87.0

$2.54 MX$43.86

-44.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 ₱490

$10.03 MX$174

-20.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.21 ₱260

$8.09 MX$140

-47.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 ₱405

$11.62 MX$201

-43.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ₱184

$2.97 MX$51.3

0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 ₱83.0

$1.81 MX$31.24

-25.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ₱167

$2.01 MX$34.82

34.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ₱98.3

$2.03 MX$35.20

-21.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 ₱147

$2.12 MX$36.75

12.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 ₱161

$2.27 MX$39.25

14.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱68.9

$1.40 MX$24.22

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱44.64

$1.13 MX$19.55

-36.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ₱180

$4.27 MX$73.9

-31.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.16 ₱503

$15.56 MX$269

-47.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₱66.2

$1.76 MX$30.39

-39.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱80.3

$3.60 MX$62.2

-63.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₱12.31

$0.38 MX$6.62

-47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.4

$1.38 MX$23.79

-40.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.52

$0.28 MX$4.78

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₱134

$5.45 MX$94.2

-60.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₱86.8

$1.30 MX$22.55

8.46%

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

$27.1K ₱1.7M

$18.7K MX$323.2K

44.98%

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

$20.2K ₱1.2M

$23.1K MX$400.1K

-12.75%

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

$84.0 ₱5,181

$40.86 MX$707

105.65%

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

$32.13 ₱1,981

$26.81 MX$464

19.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.09 ₱1,362

$29.96 MX$518

-26.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.64 ₱2,074

$52.0 MX$900

-35.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.49 ₱277

$26.84 MX$464

-83.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 ₱362

$6.30 MX$109

-6.83%

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

$150 ₱9,227

$436 MX$7,544

-65.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,285 ₱264.2K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-58.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.28 ₱2,792

$56.7 MX$980

-20.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.22 ₱1,617

$44.38 MX$768

-40.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 ₱4,648

$103 MX$1,780

-26.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.3 ₱3,284

$106 MX$1,825

-49.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$132 ₱8,138

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-87.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.0 ₱5,363

$631 MX$10.9K

-86.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$293 ₱18.1K

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-86.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 ₱11.8K

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-84.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,460 ₱151.7K

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-36.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$885 ₱54.6K

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-57.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$154 ₱9,498

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-86.19%

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 Mambajao: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $132 in Mambajao versus $1,022 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 624% 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 $26.00 in Mambajao versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $288 – making Mambajao 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

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

Mexico City costs about 132% more than Mambajao, 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 $948 per month in Mambajao and $2,201 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mambajao, 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 $632 in Mambajao and $1,467 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $150 per month in Mambajao and $436 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mambajao, where all-in costs run around $632, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Mambajao 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. Mambajao costs $632 versus $1,467 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 Mambajao. 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.