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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $779 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,147 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,514 in Baguio.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Baguio is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$3.63 ₱222

261.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$13.43 ₱822

298.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$2.69 ₱164

246.84%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.36 ₱145

56.78%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.66 ₱40.38

142.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.38 ₱22.96

194.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.39 ₱84.9

125.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$1.94 ₱118

150.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.82 ₱111

-9.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.21 ₱73.8

123.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.07 ₱65.8

78.50%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.28 ₱139

13.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$9.14 ₱559

7.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$3.87 ₱237

117.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$8.46 ₱518

41.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.75 ₱168

7.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.84 ₱113

-5.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$2.37 ₱145

-13.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.16 ₱70.9

77.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.82 ₱111

18.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$2.27 ₱139

-0.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.68 ₱41.91

104.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.72 ₱44.38

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$3.36 ₱206

25.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$9.18 ₱562

90.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.08 ₱66.1

58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.27 ₱139

59.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.28 ₱17.34

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$10.43 ₱639

85.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.86 ₱52.6

60.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.22 ₱13.38

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$2.44 ₱149

116.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.12 ₱68.4

21.43%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$32.2K ₱2.0M

-40.75%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$20.6K ₱1.3M

14.77%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$149 ₱9,108

-72.76%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$34.55 ₱2,115

-20.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$26.35 ₱1,613

15.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$21.84 ₱1,337

139.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$4.07 ₱249

550.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$5.87 ₱359

5.45%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$149 ₱9,109

185.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$4,683 ₱286.7K

129.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$47.86 ₱2,930

21.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$27.14 ₱1,661

64.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$75.3 ₱4,608

37.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$46.11 ₱2,822

135.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$336 ₱20.6K

201.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$142 ₱8,677

339.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$556 ₱34.0K

281.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$262 ₱16.1K

366.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$2,408 ₱147.4K

57.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$919 ₱56.2K

129.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$188 ₱11.5K

460.55%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Baguio: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $336 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 461% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $13.00 in Baguio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $206 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 89% 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 461% 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $336 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,472 per month in Mexico City versus $779 in Baguio – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 85% 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 $1,472 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 89% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.