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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $718 in Bulacan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,050 in Bulacan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,383 in Bulacan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 105% more than Bulacan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Bulacan is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$2.70 ₱167

388.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$14.10 ₱870

282.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$2.83 ₱174

232.86%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.22 ₱137

59.91%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.68 ₱41.84

138.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.31 ₱18.92

258.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.04 ₱63.9

200.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.10 ₱129

120.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$2.11 ₱130

-19.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.25 ₱77.0

117.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$0.92 ₱56.6

107.61%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.97 ₱121

28.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$3.04 ₱188

229.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$3.70 ₱228

118.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$6.67 ₱411

74.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.07 ₱128

43.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.44 ₱88.6

25.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$2.14 ₱132

-6.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.43 ₱88.2

41.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.74 ₱107

21.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.52 ₱93.6

49.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.88 ₱54.0

59.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.84 ₱52.1

34.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$2.87 ₱177

48.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$3.63 ₱224

328.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.09 ₱67.3

61.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.62 ₱100

122.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.29 ₱17.95

31.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$7.49 ₱462

156.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.76 ₱47.02

81.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.24 ₱14.84

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$2.72 ₱168

100.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.10 ₱67.6

18.18%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$27.1K ₱1.7M

-31.01%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$14.7K ₱905.5K

57.52%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$113 ₱6,942

-63.71%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$32.16 ₱1,983

-16.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$27.96 ₱1,724

7.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$40.56 ₱2,501

28.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$4.40 ₱271

510.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$6.38 ₱393

-1.25%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$106 ₱6,556

310.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$4,394 ₱270.9K

137.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$29.90 ₱1,844

89.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$23.35 ₱1,440

90.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$75.8 ₱4,674

35.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$98.2 ₱6,052

7.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$255 ₱15.7K

300.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$135 ₱8,326

367.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$392 ₱24.1K

445.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$202 ₱12.4K

516.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,907 ₱117.6K

104.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,479 ₱91.2K

39.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$294 ₱18.1K

279.02%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bulacan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $255 in Bulacan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 279% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $14.00 in Bulacan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $165 – making Bulacan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bulacan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 105% more than Bulacan, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,076 in Bulacan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulacan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,467 in Mexico City and $718 in Bulacan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 156% less in Bulacan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bulacan, where all-in costs run around $718, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Bulacan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bulacan costs $718 versus $1,467 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Bulacan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.