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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $709 in Bulacan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,047 in Bulacan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,385 in Bulacan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 106% more than Bulacan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Bulacan is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$2.63 ₱162

396.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$14.29 ₱879

276.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$2.86 ₱176

238.46%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.18 ₱134

71.56%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.68 ₱42.03

138.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.33 ₱20.57

251.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.04 ₱63.9

210.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.03 ₱125

133.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$2.04 ₱125

-19.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$1.24 ₱76.4

121.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$0.98 ₱60.4

90.82%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.99 ₱122

25.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$3.13 ₱193

225.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$3.49 ₱215

136.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$6.44 ₱397

83.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$2.17 ₱134

38.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.44 ₱88.9

25.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$2.11 ₱130

-5.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.47 ₱90.5

36.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$1.81 ₱112

14.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$1.51 ₱92.8

50.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.83 ₱51.1

75.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.80 ₱49.24

35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$2.86 ₱176

52.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$3.68 ₱227

361.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.04 ₱64.3

66.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$1.71 ₱105

109.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.29 ₱17.92

34.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$7.30 ₱449

156.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$0.81 ₱50.1

64.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.22 ₱13.51

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$2.64 ₱162

98.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.10 ₱67.5

21.82%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$27.3K ₱1.7M

-28.91%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$14.8K ₱912.1K

60.86%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$113 ₱6,971

-64.06%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$32.87 ₱2,023

-18.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$28.12 ₱1,731

8.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$41.87 ₱2,578

26.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$4.34 ₱267

514.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$6.05 ₱372

7.60%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$105 ₱6,493

305.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$4,301 ₱264.8K

144.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$30.11 ₱1,854

90.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$23.21 ₱1,429

96.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$75.5 ₱4,648

37.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$99.1 ₱6,103

8.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$259 ₱15.9K

287.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$135 ₱8,317

360.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$391 ₱24.1K

439.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$201 ₱12.4K

506.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$1,954 ₱120.3K

98.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$1,461 ₱90.0K

39.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$293 ₱18.0K

254.23%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bulacan: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $259 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 254% 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: $292 vs $164 – 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 106% 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 $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $1,063 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 $1,456 in Mexico City and $709 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 $709, than in Mexico City at $1,456. 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 $709 versus $1,456 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.