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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $623 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $959 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $1,296 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 167% more than Cabanatuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$3.89 ₱244

206.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$16.96 ₱1,066

204.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$2.81 ₱177

306.05%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$1.77 ₱111

125.42%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$0.61 ₱38.03

172.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.33 ₱20.81

303.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$0.95 ₱59.8

265.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$1.57 ₱98.7

275.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$1.59 ₱100

18.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$1.15 ₱72.0

182.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$0.93 ₱58.5

132.26%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$1.99 ₱125

45.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$4.98 ₱313

158.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.38 ₱212

197.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$7.98 ₱501

98.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$2.22 ₱140

48.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$1.05 ₱65.7

91.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.30 ₱144

-4.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$0.77 ₱48.50

206.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$1.71 ₱108

19.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$1.70 ₱107

11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$0.62 ₱38.98

159.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.52 ₱32.90

169.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$2.91 ₱183

87.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.52 ₱535

107.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$0.96 ₱60.1

114.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$1.99 ₱125

135.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.30 ₱18.63

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

$9.95 ₱625

109.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.76 ₱47.47

176.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.25 ₱15.81

124.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$1.88 ₱118

209.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.94 ₱59.1

71.28%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$21.1K ₱1.3M

8.23%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$19.0K ₱1.2M

41.01%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$55.2 ₱3,469

18.04%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$17.82 ₱1,120

68.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$21.61 ₱1,358

72.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$11.20 ₱704

433.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

$4.70 ₱295

464.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.09 ₱320

38.31%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$130 ₱8,194

256.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$10.7K ₱673.1K

23.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$23.56 ₱1,480

222.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$19.53 ₱1,227

186.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$60.0 ₱3,767

86.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$55.2 ₱3,471

118.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$291 ₱18.3K

278.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$170 ₱10.7K

324.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$535 ₱33.6K

372.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$299 ₱18.8K

333.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

$2,306 ₱144.9K

73.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$907 ₱57.0K

130.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$161 ₱10.1K

544.23%

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 Cabanatuan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $291 in Cabanatuan. 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 544% 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 $17.00 in Cabanatuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $168 – making Cabanatuan 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 Cabanatuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City, $623 in Cabanatuan – roughly 167% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $934 in Cabanatuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City and $17.00 in Cabanatuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,660 in Mexico City and $623 in Cabanatuan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cabanatuan, where all-in costs run around $623, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Cabanatuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $623 in Cabanatuan to $1,660 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cabanatuan. 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.