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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $797 in Boracay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,392 in Boracay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,987 in Boracay.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 83% more expensive than in Boracay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Boracay is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$3.16 ₱194

313.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$21.07 ₱1,297

155.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$4.81 ₱296

101.25%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.37 ₱146

57.81%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$1.27 ₱78.4

27.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.26 ₱15.86

346.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.31 ₱80.5

146.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.17 ₱134

118.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.80 ₱111

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$1.26 ₱77.4

118.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$0.87 ₱53.8

114.94%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$2.60 ₱160

-3.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.88 ₱485

29.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$4.13 ₱254

99.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$7.83 ₱482

50.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$2.99 ₱184

0.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.48 ₱91.2

22.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$2.58 ₱159

-22.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.44 ₱88.6

38.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$1.79 ₱110

16.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$2.60 ₱160

-12.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$1.06 ₱65.2

37.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.71 ₱43.94

52.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$3.87 ₱238

12.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$8.26 ₱508

105.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.21 ₱74.6

42.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.02 ₱125

77.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.36 ₱22.34

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$0.82 ₱50.7

62.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.24 ₱14.80

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$2.07 ₱127

153.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.28 ₱78.7

4.69%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$26.6K ₱1.6M

-27.02%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

16.23%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$117 ₱7,185

-65.13%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$8.78 ₱540

206.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$39.13 ₱2,409

-22.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$53.7 ₱3,306

-1.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$4.30 ₱265

519.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$4.23 ₱261

53.90%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$149 ₱9,180

187.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$4,041 ₱248.8K

159.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$46.67 ₱2,873

22.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$26.65 ₱1,641

70.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$75.6 ₱4,654

37.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$52.9 ₱3,253

104.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$261 ₱16.1K

284.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$179 ₱11.0K

248.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$581 ₱35.7K

263.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$742 ₱45.7K

64.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$2,397 ₱147.6K

62.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$957 ₱58.9K

112.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$238 ₱14.7K

335.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.67

70.01%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Boracay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $261 in Boracay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 336% 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 $21.00 in Boracay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $204 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 83% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $797 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 336% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $261 in Boracay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $149 in Boracay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $797 in Boracay versus $1,456 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 83% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.