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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $788 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,139 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,490 in Baguio.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 84% more expensive than Baguio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Baguio is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.57 ₱217

263.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$13.22 ₱802

297.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$2.65 ₱161

255.85%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.36 ₱143

51.27%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.69 ₱41.93

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.37 ₱22.55

210.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.44 ₱87.5

118.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$1.90 ₱115

155.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.89 ₱115

-10.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.23 ₱74.8

114.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.08 ₱65.3

75.93%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.26 ₱137

12.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$9.14 ₱555

10.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.91 ₱237

112.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$8.75 ₱531

32.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.64 ₱160

14.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.80 ₱109

-5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.31 ₱140

-11.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.16 ₱70.2

77.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.84 ₱112

11.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.29 ₱139

-5.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.67 ₱40.39

108.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.76 ₱46.15

47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$3.34 ₱203

28.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$8.91 ₱541

72.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.04 ₱63.1

60.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.32 ₱141

59.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.28 ₱17.11

35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$10.58 ₱642

80.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.85 ₱51.7

62.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.22 ₱13.32

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$2.36 ₱143

129.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.10 ₱67.1

16.36%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$31.9K ₱1.9M

-40.51%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$20.5K ₱1.2M

14.57%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$146 ₱8,846

-71.84%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$35.30 ₱2,143

-23.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$26.09 ₱1,584

13.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$21.90 ₱1,330

138.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$4.05 ₱246

547.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$5.82 ₱353

6.19%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$154 ₱9,378

176.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$4,658 ₱282.9K

129.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$48.66 ₱2,955

16.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$28.00 ₱1,700

60.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$76.2 ₱4,624

37.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$46.62 ₱2,831

127.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$340 ₱20.7K

192.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$142 ₱8,635

336.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$552 ₱33.5K

285.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$264 ₱16.1K

374.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,390 ₱145.1K

63.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$933 ₱56.7K

124.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$184 ₱11.2K

500.43%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Baguio: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $340 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 500% 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 $288 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 84% 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 500% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $340 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $788 in Baguio – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 80% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $788 in Baguio versus $1,447 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 $788 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 84% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.