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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $766 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,168 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,570 in Baguio.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 117% more expensive than in Baguio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Baguio is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$4.03 ₱253

195.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$16.53 ₱1,037

212.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$2.77 ₱174

311.91%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.84 ₱116

116.85%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.60 ₱37.76

176.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.33 ₱20.84

303.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.03 ₱64.3

236.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$1.57 ₱98.3

275.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.66 ₱104

13.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.15 ₱72.2

182.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.01 ₱63.3

113.86%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.02 ₱127

43.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$4.99 ₱313

157.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.47 ₱218

189.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$7.80 ₱489

103.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.31 ₱145

42.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.53 ₱95.8

31.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.30 ₱145

-4.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.04 ₱65.1

126.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.65 ₱104

24.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.77 ₱111

7.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.67 ₱41.75

140.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.52 ₱32.90

169.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.98 ₱187

83.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.49 ₱533

107.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$0.96 ₱60.2

114.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.04 ₱128

129.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.23 ₱14.36

47.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$12.81 ₱803

62.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.81 ₱50.9

159.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.23 ₱14.37

143.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$1.88 ₱118

209.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.20 ₱75.0

34.17%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$21.5K ₱1.3M

6.36%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$19.1K ₱1.2M

40.39%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$138 ₱8,659

-52.79%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$17.68 ₱1,109

70.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$23.45 ₱1,471

58.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$21.64 ₱1,357

176.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$5.27 ₱331

403.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.13 ₱322

37.23%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$131 ₱8,230

254.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$10.8K ₱674.6K

23.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$29.37 ₱1,842

158.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$19.10 ₱1,198

192.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$72.9 ₱4,569

53.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$56.0 ₱3,510

115.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$399 ₱25.0K

176.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$200 ₱12.5K

260.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$853 ₱53.5K

196.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$463 ₱29.0K

179.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$2,603 ₱163.3K

53.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$928 ₱58.2K

125.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$179 ₱11.3K

478.23%

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 Baguio: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $399 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 478% 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 $17.00 in Baguio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $174 per month, with Baguio 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 Baguio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 117% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baguio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 478% 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 $399 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $766 in Baguio – a 117% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 62% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $766 in Baguio versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baguio but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Baguio the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baguio delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $766 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baguio hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Baguio 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 Baguio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.