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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $530 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,033 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,535 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 180% more than Cabanatuan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Cabanatuan is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$4.52 ₱279

187.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$35.89 ₱2,213

47.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$3.65 ₱225

166.30%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.84 ₱175

32.04%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.87 ₱53.8

80.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.48 ₱29.81

135.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.48 ₱91.6

114.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.62 ₱162

77.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.04 ₱126

-20.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.56 ₱96.4

73.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$0.93 ₱57.6

102.15%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.06 ₱127

21.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$3.47 ₱214

190.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.16 ₱195

162.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$6.77 ₱418

76.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$4.09 ₱252

-30.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.21 ₱74.9

44.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.98 ₱122

5.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.82 ₱50.6

140.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.42 ₱87.7

52.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.45 ₱89.2

50.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.04 ₱64.4

33.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.84 ₱52.1

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.81 ₱173

49.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$5.88 ₱363

142.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$0.74 ₱45.45

137.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.74 ₱108

111.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.26 ₱16.02

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.74 ₱45.91

87.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.22 ₱13.54

36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$0.87 ₱53.8

522.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.11 ₱68.3

21.62%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$28.0K ₱1.7M

-32.59%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$17.8K ₱1.1M

30.26%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$57.9 ₱3,571

-29.49%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$20.92 ₱1,290

31.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$24.79 ₱1,529

22.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$12.57 ₱775

325.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$2.73 ₱169

863.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$6.96 ₱429

-9.91%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$152 ₱9,346

187.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$4,231 ₱260.9K

147.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$27.12 ₱1,673

109.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$34.09 ₱2,103

31.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$62.6 ₱3,859

64.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$47.71 ₱2,943

126.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$261 ₱16.1K

283.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$44.47 ₱2,743

1295.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$580 ₱35.8K

268.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$395 ₱24.4K

212.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$229 ₱14.1K

917.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$206 ₱12.7K

418.43%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cabanatuan: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $261 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 418% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $36.00 in Cabanatuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $175 – 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: $1,484 in Mexico City, $530 in Cabanatuan – roughly 180% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $795 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 $53.0 in Mexico City and $36.00 in Cabanatuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 64% 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 $530, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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 $530 in Cabanatuan to $1,484 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.