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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $599 in Bataan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $990 in Bataan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,381 in Bataan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 142% more expensive than Bataan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Bataan is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$1.46 ₱88.5

789.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$17.76 ₱1,078

196.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.03 ₱184

211.22%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.53 ₱93.1

133.33%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.88 ₱53.3

82.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.26 ₱15.64

342.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.49 ₱90.3

111.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.70 ₱164

80.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.87 ₱114

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.41 ₱85.6

87.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.01 ₱61.4

88.12%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.99 ₱121

27.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$8.22 ₱499

22.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.17 ₱253

98.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$10.49 ₱637

10.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.97 ₱180

2.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.19 ₱133

-21.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$3.51 ₱213

-41.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.38 ₱83.9

49.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.39 ₱84.1

48.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.64 ₱161

-17.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.12 ₱67.8

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.52 ₱31.37

115.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.54 ₱154

68.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$8.67 ₱527

77.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.14 ₱69.4

46.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.52 ₱153

46.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.28 ₱17.19

35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$4.20 ₱255

353.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.82 ₱49.78

68.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.24 ₱14.66

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$2.19 ₱133

147.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.16 ₱70.6

10.34%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$28.1K ₱1.7M

-32.49%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$28.4K ₱1.7M

-17.46%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$53.0 ₱3,216

-22.56%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$23.36 ₱1,419

15.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$26.45 ₱1,606

12.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$34.15 ₱2,074

53.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$4.55 ₱276

476.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$6.26 ₱380

-1.28%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$74.4 ₱4,515

474.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$4,398 ₱267.1K

143.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$46.18 ₱2,804

23.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$33.61 ₱2,041

33.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$68.7 ₱4,174

52.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$116 ₱7,049

-8.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$95.6 ₱5,806

940.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$58.4 ₱3,543

964.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$312 ₱18.9K

581.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$175 ₱10.6K

615.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$395 ₱24.0K

180.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.17

83.79%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bataan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $95.6 in Bataan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 180% 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 $18.00 in Bataan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $219 per month, with Bataan 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 Bataan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bataan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 142% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 180% 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 $95.6 in Bataan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bataan – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $599 in Bataan versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bataan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Bataan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bataan 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 Bataan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 142% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.