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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $765 in Boracay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,164 in Boracay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,562 in Boracay.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 115% more expensive than in Boracay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Boracay is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$5.47 ₱342

121.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$19.41 ₱1,215

169.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$5.85 ₱366

86.32%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$2.25 ₱141

80.00%

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

$1.72 MX$28.99

$0.67 ₱41.81

156.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.28

$0.23 ₱14.28

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$1.08 ₱67.6

221.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$1.93 ₱121

201.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.32

$1.63 ₱102

13.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$1.08 ₱67.3

198.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.24

$0.97 ₱60.6

115.46%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.16

$1.88 ₱117

54.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$5.24 ₱328

138.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$4.01 ₱251

152.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$7.61 ₱476

108.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$2.55 ₱159

29.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.94

$1.55 ₱96.9

37.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.02

$2.04 ₱128

7.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.36

$0.99 ₱62.2

147.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.99

$2.00 ₱125

9.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.19

$1.81 ₱113

4.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$0.91 ₱56.8

78.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.81

$0.61 ₱38.39

121.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$2.37 ₱148

129.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$8.11 ₱508

116.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.95

$1.00 ₱62.5

107.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$1.96 ₱122

142.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$0.25 ₱15.52

36.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

$10.29 ₱644

109.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.48

$0.76 ₱47.54

168.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.23 ₱14.22

152.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$1.70 ₱106

251.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$1.16 ₱72.5

39.66%

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

11.82%

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

$26.7K MX$450.6K

$19.9K ₱1.2M

34.07%

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

$65.2 MX$1,102

$111 ₱6,942

-41.17%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$15.94 ₱998

87.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$34.58 ₱2,165

5.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$34.63 ₱2,168

76.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$4.53 ₱284

489.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$5.23 ₱328

30.98%

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

$453 MX$7,662

$153 ₱9,560

196.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$8,190 ₱512.7K

63.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$29.35 ₱1,838

155.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$934

$18.32 ₱1,147

201.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$61.6 ₱3,854

84.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$63.1 ₱3,948

94.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$270 ₱16.9K

319.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$175 ₱11.0K

306.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$504 ₱31.6K

409.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$358 ₱22.4K

266.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$2,625 ₱164.3K

52.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$1,058 ₱66.2K

98.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$235 ₱14.7K

345.12%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Boracay: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $270 in Boracay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 345% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $19.00 in Boracay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $178 per month, with Boracay 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 Boracay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Boracay differ by about 115% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $765 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 345% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $270 in Boracay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 94% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $765 in Boracay versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boracay but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Boracay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Boracay 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 Boracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.