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: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $484 in Bataan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $814 in Bataan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,145 in Bataan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 247% more expensive than in Bataan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Bataan is 65% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$1.32 ₱82.8

819.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$16.47 ₱1,033

227.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$2.79 ₱175

297.49%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$1.34 ₱83.9

205.97%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.61 ₱38.05

175.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.25 ₱15.72

456.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$1.02 ₱63.7

226.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$1.61 ₱101

265.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.67 ₱105

10.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.16 ₱72.6

173.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$0.98 ₱61.2

111.22%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$1.73 ₱108

69.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$5.22 ₱327

141.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$3.02 ₱189

234.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$8.10 ₱508

98.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.33 ₱146

45.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.57 ₱98.1

32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$2.34 ₱147

-9.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.02 ₱64.2

136.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.76 ₱110

21.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.73 ₱109

16.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.67 ₱41.73

131.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.49 ₱30.99

177.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$2.18 ₱137

164.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$8.64 ₱542

105.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$0.97 ₱60.7

113.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.01 ₱126

129.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.47 ₱29.31

-21.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$0.82 ₱51.1

150.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.25 ₱15.74

132.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$1.86 ₱116

226.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.02 ₱63.9

51.96%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$21.0K ₱1.3M

8.73%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$19.4K ₱1.2M

40.53%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$48.26 ₱3,025

39.68%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$17.28 ₱1,083

77.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$23.20 ₱1,454

60.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$26.70 ₱1,674

130.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$5.17 ₱324

37.52%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$67.3 ₱4,221

577.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$10.6K ₱663.9K

29.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$29.44 ₱1,846

152.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$19.91 ₱1,248

186.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$70.5 ₱4,421

63.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$55.7 ₱3,492

118.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$167 ₱10.5K

585.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$52.8 ₱3,310

1243.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$280 ₱17.6K

818.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$183 ₱11.5K

606.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$392 ₱24.6K

176.15%

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 6, 2026

Last update for Bataan: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $167 in Bataan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 176% 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 $16.00 in Bataan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $173 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 247% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 176% 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $167 in Bataan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $67.3 in Bataan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bataan – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $484 in Bataan versus $1,677 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 247% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.