Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Cagayan de Oro City Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Cagayan de Oro City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $760 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,122 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,484 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 92% more expensive than in Cagayan de Oro City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Cagayan de Oro City is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$3.88 ₱239

236.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$940

$14.45 ₱890

271.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$3.38 ₱208

186.39%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.4

$2.52 ₱155

48.41%

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

$1.62 MX$28.25

$0.98 ₱60.1

65.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.31

$0.36 ₱21.87

222.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.4

$1.46 ₱90.0

121.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.9

$2.39 ₱147

98.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.80

$1.65 ₱102

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.15

$0.91 ₱55.8

202.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.77

$0.92 ₱56.6

103.26%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.72

$2.40 ₱147

4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$6.11 ₱376

66.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$3.64 ₱224

126.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$6.64 ₱409

78.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.6

$2.33 ₱143

29.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.67

$1.13 ₱69.9

60.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.96

$2.37 ₱146

-15.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.89

$1.28 ₱78.6

56.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.45

$2.26 ₱139

-7.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.72

$2.81 ₱173

-19.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.47

$0.91 ₱55.8

60.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.82

$0.47 ₱28.72

129.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.0

$2.49 ₱153

74.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$297

$3.99 ₱246

325.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.31

$1.42 ₱87.3

21.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.5

$1.55 ₱95.6

130.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.77

$0.41 ₱25.24

-4.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

$8.46 ₱521

120.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$0.70 ₱42.93

90.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.89

$0.22 ₱13.54

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.8

$2.07 ₱127

153.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.37

$1.14 ₱70.4

17.54%

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

$19.4K MX$339.4K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

-5.24%

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

$23.8K MX$416.7K

$19.5K ₱1.2M

22.37%

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

$40.69 MX$712

$106 ₱6,542

-61.71%

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

$26.87 MX$470

$39.96 ₱2,460

-32.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$534

$33.15 ₱2,041

-7.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$923

$21.81 ₱1,343

142.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

$3.32 ₱204

702.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$4.56 ₱281

42.76%

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

$428 MX$7,485

$186 ₱11.5K

129.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.6K

$2,518 ₱155.1K

316.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,001

$35.44 ₱2,182

61.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$796

$14.29 ₱880

218.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,819

$56.6 ₱3,482

83.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,885

$43.47 ₱2,676

148.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$356 ₱21.9K

181.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$214 ₱13.2K

190.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.9K

$579 ₱35.6K

264.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.3K

$374 ₱23.0K

225.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

$1,611 ₱99.2K

141.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

$989 ₱60.9K

105.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$313 ₱19.3K

231.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.67

70.01%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cagayan de Oro City: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $356 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 231% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $14.00 in Cagayan de Oro City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $169 per month, with Cagayan de Oro City cheaper across the board.

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 Cagayan de Oro City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Cagayan de Oro City differ by about 92% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $760 including rent). Cagayan de Oro City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 231% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $356 in Cagayan de Oro City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cagayan de Oro City – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $760 in Cagayan de Oro City versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cagayan de Oro City but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Cagayan de Oro City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Cagayan de Oro City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cagayan de Oro City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.