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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $743 in Marawi versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,107 in Marawi versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,472 in Marawi versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Marawi costs roughly 55% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Marawi is 46% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 ₱238

$12.11 MX$206

-68.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.36 ₱1,021

$52.2 MX$887

-68.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.74 ₱171

$10.90 MX$185

-74.86%

Cappuccino

$2.17 ₱135

$4.05 MX$68.9

-46.42%

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

$0.62 ₱38.95

$1.72 MX$29.15

-63.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₱19.57

$1.38 MX$23.41

-77.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ₱60.7

$3.47 MX$58.9

-72.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₱106

$5.81 MX$98.8

-70.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 ₱106

$1.85 MX$31.50

-8.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₱74.3

$3.22 MX$54.8

-63.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱61.3

$2.09 MX$35.44

-53.11%

Eggs

$1.94 ₱121

$2.91 MX$49.44

-33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.34 ₱333

$12.49 MX$212

-57.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 ₱265

$10.11 MX$172

-57.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.09 ₱442

$15.89 MX$270

-55.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ₱150

$3.31 MX$56.3

-27.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₱101

$2.13 MX$36.14

-23.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱150

$2.19 MX$37.22

10.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 ₱73.8

$2.45 MX$41.59

-51.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 ₱129

$2.19 MX$37.20

-5.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 ₱122

$1.90 MX$32.37

3.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 ₱50.9

$1.62 MX$27.45

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱32.50

$1.35 MX$22.94

-61.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₱185

$5.43 MX$92.2

-45.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 ₱515

$17.59 MX$299

-53.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₱66.5

$2.07 MX$35.14

-48.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₱135

$4.75 MX$80.7

-54.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ₱18.22

$0.34 MX$5.78

-14.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.18 ₱636

$21.58 MX$367

-52.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱51.4

$2.04 MX$34.67

-59.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.72

$0.58 MX$9.82

-53.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 ₱106

$5.97 MX$101

-71.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₱72.7

$1.62 MX$27.46

-27.78%

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

$23.5K ₱1.5M

$22.8K MX$387.6K

3.20%

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

$17.1K ₱1.1M

$26.7K MX$453.1K

-35.68%

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

$125 ₱7,777

$65.2 MX$1,109

91.03%

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

$15.91 ₱993

$29.87 MX$508

-46.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.79 ₱1,547

$36.55 MX$621

-32.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.55 ₱2,156

$61.0 MX$1,037

-43.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.38 ₱336

$26.70 MX$454

-79.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 ₱277

$6.85 MX$116

-35.33%

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

$134 ₱8,367

$453 MX$7,705

-70.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,198 ₱511.5K

$13.4K MX$227.2K

-38.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.68 ₱1,977

$75.0 MX$1,274

-57.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.65 ₱1,226

$55.3 MX$940

-64.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 ₱4,508

$114 MX$1,931

-36.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.8 ₱3,481

$123 MX$2,084

-54.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 ₱16.8K

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-76.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 ₱10.9K

$712 MX$12.1K

-75.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 ₱30.9K

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-80.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 ₱21.5K

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-73.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,711 ₱169.2K

$3,993 MX$67.8K

-32.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,042 ₱65.0K

$2,095 MX$35.6K

-50.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 ₱17.7K

$1,047 MX$17.8K

-72.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

11.3

-40.27%

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

Last update for Marawi: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $270 in Marawi and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 269% 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: $16.00 in Marawi vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $345 per month, with Marawi 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

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

Marawi and Mexico City differ by about 121% in total monthly costs ($743 vs $1,646 including rent). Marawi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 269% 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: $270 in Marawi 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 $743 per month in Marawi versus $1,646 in Mexico City – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Marawi runs roughly 112% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $743 in Marawi versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Marawi but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Marawi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Marawi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 121% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.