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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $735 in Albay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,099 in Albay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,462 in Albay.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 126% more expensive than in Albay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Albay is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$3.66 ₱230

225.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$16.40 ₱1,029

214.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$2.74 ₱172

316.42%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.18 ₱137

83.03%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.62 ₱38.66

167.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.31 ₱19.22

329.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.06 ₱66.7

227.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$1.92 ₱121

207.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.74 ₱109

8.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.29 ₱81.1

151.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$0.91 ₱57.2

137.36%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.99 ₱125

45.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$5.71 ₱358

125.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.10 ₱257

145.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$6.87 ₱431

130.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.14 ₱134

53.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.62 ₱102

24.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.56 ₱161

-14.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.23 ₱77.3

91.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$2.28 ₱143

-10.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$2.12 ₱133

-10.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.71 ₱44.57

126.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.54 ₱33.62

159.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.64 ₱165

106.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.63 ₱541

104.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$0.99 ₱61.9

108.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.89 ₱118

147.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.27 ₱17.09

25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$10.05 ₱630

107.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.74 ₱46.50

183.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.25 ₱15.48

124.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$1.83 ₱115

217.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.23 ₱77.3

30.89%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$19.1K ₱1.2M

19.37%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$19.3K ₱1.2M

38.48%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$130 ₱8,171

-49.97%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$13.27 ₱832

126.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$21.70 ₱1,361

71.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$35.49 ₱2,226

68.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$4.81 ₱302

451.98%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.74 ₱360

22.65%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$147 ₱9,210

216.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$7,848 ₱492.2K

69.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$29.14 ₱1,828

160.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$19.74 ₱1,238

183.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$61.0 ₱3,826

83.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$54.2 ₱3,399

122.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$282 ₱17.7K

290.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$158 ₱9,939

354.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$560 ₱35.1K

351.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$385 ₱24.2K

235.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$2,526 ₱158.4K

58.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,165 ₱73.1K

79.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$162 ₱10.2K

540.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.75

67.41%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Albay: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $282 in Albay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 540% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $16.00 in Albay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $183 per month, with Albay 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

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

Mexico City and Albay differ by about 126% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $735 including rent). Albay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 540% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $282 in Albay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 88% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Albay – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $735 in Albay versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albay but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Albay 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 Albay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 126% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.