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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $779 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,139 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,500 in Baguio.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 91% more expensive than Baguio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Baguio is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$3.59 ₱222

261.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$13.50 ₱833

293.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$2.60 ₱160

273.85%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.34 ₱145

60.26%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.70 ₱43.29

124.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.40 ₱24.72

182.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.46 ₱89.9

117.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.00 ₱123

133.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.89 ₱116

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.25 ₱77.3

116.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.11 ₱68.6

69.37%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.20 ₱135

14.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$9.08 ₱560

11.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.70 ₱228

124.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$8.42 ₱519

41.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.63 ₱162

8.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.87 ₱115

-6.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.26 ₱140

-7.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.18 ₱72.6

66.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.82 ₱112

18.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.29 ₱141

-4.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.72 ₱44.67

93.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.77 ₱47.61

45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$3.35 ₱206

25.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$9.17 ₱566

55.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.08 ₱66.4

62.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.26 ₱140

62.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.26 ₱15.90

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$10.56 ₱652

76.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.87 ₱53.7

59.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.22 ₱13.54

36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$2.45 ₱151

121.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.11 ₱68.3

21.62%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$32.3K ₱2.0M

-41.45%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

12.91%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$146 ₱8,987

-71.98%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$34.10 ₱2,103

-19.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$25.99 ₱1,603

16.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$21.76 ₱1,342

145.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$4.16 ₱256

532.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$5.93 ₱366

5.73%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$153 ₱9,455

184.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$4,642 ₱286.3K

125.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$49.11 ₱3,029

15.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$27.25 ₱1,681

64.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$76.3 ₱4,706

34.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$45.91 ₱2,832

135.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$346 ₱21.3K

189.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$142 ₱8,777

335.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$544 ₱33.6K

292.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$264 ₱16.3K

368.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$2,423 ₱149.4K

59.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$949 ₱58.5K

145.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$186 ₱11.5K

474.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.5

152.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Baguio: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $346 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 474% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $13.00 in Baguio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $205 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 91% 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.

Mexico City pays 474% more on average, 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $346 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,484 per month in Mexico City versus $779 in Baguio – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 77% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $779 in Baguio versus $1,484 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 $779 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 91% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.