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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $771 in Bago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,213 in Bago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,655 in Bago.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 89% more expensive than in Bago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Bago is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$3.46 ₱213

277.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$17.62 ₱1,085

205.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$3.32 ₱205

191.57%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.36 ₱146

58.47%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.77 ₱47.46

110.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.37 ₱22.68

213.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.30 ₱79.9

148.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.19 ₱135

116.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.89 ₱116

-12.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$1.25 ₱77.1

120.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$0.98 ₱60.6

90.82%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$2.10 ₱129

19.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.84 ₱483

30.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$4.16 ₱256

98.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$7.86 ₱484

50.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$2.85 ₱175

5.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.59 ₱98.0

13.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$2.59 ₱159

-22.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.61 ₱99.4

24.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$2.28 ₱140

-8.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$2.54 ₱156

-10.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$1.10 ₱67.9

32.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.75 ₱46.18

44.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$2.78 ₱171

56.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$7.64 ₱470

122.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.16 ₱71.1

49.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$1.99 ₱122

79.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.26 ₱15.85

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$0.82 ₱50.7

62.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.22 ₱13.45

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$2.08 ₱128

152.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.11 ₱68.2

20.72%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$26.1K ₱1.6M

-25.64%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

14.80%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$111 ₱6,837

-63.36%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$32.30 ₱1,989

-16.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$28.02 ₱1,725

8.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$34.34 ₱2,114

53.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$4.53 ₱279

488.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$5.80 ₱357

12.24%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$149 ₱9,200

186.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$4,261 ₱262.3K

146.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$46.44 ₱2,859

23.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$26.93 ₱1,658

68.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$76.0 ₱4,678

36.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$52.7 ₱3,246

104.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$261 ₱16.1K

284.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$175 ₱10.8K

255.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$599 ₱36.8K

252.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$401 ₱24.7K

203.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$2,477 ₱152.5K

56.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$834 ₱51.3K

143.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.67

70.01%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bago: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $261 in Bago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $18.00 in Bago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $204 per month, with Bago 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 Bago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bago is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,185 in Mexico City and $1,156 in Bago to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $261 in Bago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $149 in Bago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bago – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $771 in Bago versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bago but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Bago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bago is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Bago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.