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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $602 in Bataan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $998 in Bataan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,393 in Bataan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 146% more expensive than Bataan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Bataan is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$1.45 ₱89.7

795.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$17.40 ₱1,073

205.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$3.11 ₱192

212.54%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.55 ₱95.6

141.94%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.83 ₱51.2

89.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.26 ₱15.85

334.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.48 ₱91.2

114.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.61 ₱161

78.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.85 ₱114

-12.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.41 ₱86.7

92.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$0.93 ₱57.6

102.15%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.00 ₱123

25.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$8.08 ₱498

24.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.14 ₱256

100.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$10.46 ₱645

14.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.88 ₱178

-0.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$2.17 ₱134

-19.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$3.62 ₱223

-42.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.40 ₱86.6

40.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.38 ₱85.1

56.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.62 ₱162

-16.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.07 ₱66.1

29.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.54 ₱33.33

107.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.44 ₱151

72.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$9.07 ₱559

57.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.09 ₱67.0

61.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.50 ₱154

47.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.26 ₱15.94

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$4.12 ₱254

352.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.78 ₱48.15

78.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.24 ₱14.82

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$2.07 ₱128

161.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.15 ₱71.2

17.39%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$28.1K ₱1.7M

-32.81%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$28.9K ₱1.8M

-19.85%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$53.6 ₱3,303

-23.79%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$23.22 ₱1,432

18.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$25.98 ₱1,602

16.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$34.19 ₱2,109

56.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$4.39 ₱271

499.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$6.29 ₱388

-0.32%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$75.0 ₱4,626

481.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$4,365 ₱269.2K

139.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$45.82 ₱2,826

23.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$33.61 ₱2,073

33.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$68.6 ₱4,232

49.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$113 ₱6,993

-4.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$95.7 ₱5,904

944.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$57.7 ₱3,560

974.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$305 ₱18.8K

599.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$172 ₱10.6K

618.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$414 ₱25.5K

157.95%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bataan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $95.7 in Bataan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 158% 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 $17.00 in Bataan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $218 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 146% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 158% 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 $95.7 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 $17.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $602 in Bataan versus $1,484 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 146% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.