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 $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $635 in Bulacan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $923 in Bulacan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $1,211 in Bulacan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 162% more than Bulacan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Bulacan is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$1.95 ₱122

511.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$15.69 ₱986

228.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$2.71 ₱170

321.03%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$1.77 ₱111

125.42%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$0.50 ₱31.56

232.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.25 ₱15.57

432.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$0.94 ₱59.0

269.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$1.57 ₱98.9

275.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$1.63 ₱102

15.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$1.10 ₱69.1

195.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$0.87 ₱54.6

148.28%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$1.76 ₱111

64.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$2.72 ₱171

372.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.49 ₱219

187.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$5.95 ₱374

166.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$2.02 ₱127

62.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$1.57 ₱98.6

28.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.00 ₱126

10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$1.08 ₱67.6

118.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$1.58 ₱99.2

29.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$1.77 ₱112

7.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$0.66 ₱41.33

143.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.53 ₱33.61

164.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$2.93 ₱184

86.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$3.56 ₱223

395.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$0.92 ₱58.0

123.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$1.58 ₱99.3

196.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.19 ₱11.63

78.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

$6.71 ₱422

210.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.70 ₱44.28

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.18 ₱11.00

211.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$1.93 ₱121

201.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.04 ₱65.7

54.81%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$21.5K ₱1.4M

6.28%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$16.0K ₱1.0M

67.20%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$114 ₱7,193

-43.07%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$17.31 ₱1,087

73.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$23.30 ₱1,464

59.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$36.36 ₱2,284

64.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

$0.78 ₱48.73

3303.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.15 ₱323

36.70%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$96.5 ₱6,064

381.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$972 ₱61.1K

1265.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$28.30 ₱1,778

168.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$19.31 ₱1,213

189.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$74.4 ₱4,676

50.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$54.7 ₱3,434

120.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$237 ₱14.9K

365.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$149 ₱9,347

384.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$381 ₱23.9K

564.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$215 ₱13.5K

502.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

$1,900 ₱119.4K

110.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,418 ₱89.1K

47.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$296 ₱18.6K

250.20%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Bulacan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $237 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 250% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $16.00 in Bulacan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $146 – 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 162% more than Bulacan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $952 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 $1,660 in Mexico City and $635 in Bulacan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 210% 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 $635, than in Mexico City at $1,660. 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 $635 versus $1,660 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.