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 $1,448 per month in Mexico City vs $538 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Mexico City vs $1,049 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Mexico City vs $1,559 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 169% more than Cabanatuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Cabanatuan is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$4.45 ₱268

191.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$35.27 ₱2,124

48.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$3.57 ₱215

171.43%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$2.98 ₱179

25.84%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$0.88 ₱53.0

77.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$0.48 ₱29.06

141.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$1.43 ₱86.0

126.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$2.70 ₱163

81.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$2.06 ₱124

-17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$1.55 ₱93.1

72.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$0.92 ₱55.4

105.43%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$2.02 ₱122

24.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$3.63 ₱219

176.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$3.11 ₱187

174.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$6.59 ₱397

81.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$4.07 ₱245

-27.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$1.22 ₱73.6

46.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$1.93 ₱116

3.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$0.77 ₱46.50

154.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$1.48 ₱89.0

45.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$1.38 ₱83.2

64.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$1.09 ₱65.6

28.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$0.84 ₱50.4

32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$2.89 ₱174

45.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$5.81 ₱350

184.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$0.74 ₱44.48

127.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$1.74 ₱105

106.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$0.28 ₱17.05

39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$0.73 ₱43.72

89.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$0.24 ₱14.52

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$0.92 ₱55.4

485.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$1.16 ₱70.0

11.21%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$28.1K ₱1.7M

-32.75%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$18.0K ₱1.1M

32.58%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$57.3 ₱3,449

-30.39%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$20.87 ₱1,257

33.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$25.00 ₱1,506

19.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$12.17 ₱733

326.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

$2.63 ₱159

896.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$6.82 ₱411

-8.06%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$151 ₱9,104

186.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$4,292 ₱258.5K

145.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$26.33 ₱1,586

116.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$34.39 ₱2,071

31.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$61.5 ₱3,704

65.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$47.65 ₱2,870

127.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$267 ₱16.1K

271.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$44.21 ₱2,663

1295.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$596 ₱35.9K

249.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$402 ₱24.2K

212.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

$229 ₱13.8K

812.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

$208 ₱12.5K

443.96%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Cabanatuan: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Mexico City versus $267 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 444% 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 $35.00 in Cabanatuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $174 – 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: $1,448 in Mexico City, $538 in Cabanatuan – roughly 169% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,173 per month in Mexico City and $807 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 $35.00 in Cabanatuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 68% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cabanatuan, where all-in costs run around $538, than in Mexico City at $1,448. 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 $538 in Cabanatuan to $1,448 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.