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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $783 in Calapan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,227 in Calapan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,672 in Calapan City, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 87% more than Calapan City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Calapan City is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$3.61 ₱223

265.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$17.77 ₱1,096

203.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$3.27 ₱202

188.07%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.46 ₱152

44.31%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.79 ₱48.50

105.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.37 ₱22.56

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.31 ₱80.9

138.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.07 ₱128

123.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.91 ₱118

-10.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.27 ₱78.0

114.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.08 ₱66.4

76.85%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.99 ₱123

27.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$7.92 ₱488

26.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.17 ₱257

94.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$7.67 ₱473

51.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.95 ₱182

0.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.52 ₱93.9

19.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$2.71 ₱167

-25.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.56 ₱96.1

30.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$2.30 ₱142

-7.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$2.53 ₱156

-10.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.07 ₱66.2

30.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.77 ₱47.47

46.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$2.86 ₱176

49.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$7.98 ₱492

94.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.21 ₱74.5

45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.95 ₱120

84.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.28 ₱17.32

35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$14.02 ₱864

36.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.83 ₱51.0

66.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.22 ₱13.52

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$2.17 ₱134

151.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.14 ₱70.1

14.04%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$26.7K ₱1.6M

-30.08%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$20.1K ₱1.2M

15.34%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$113 ₱6,977

-63.89%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$32.18 ₱1,984

-16.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$27.67 ₱1,706

8.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$34.31 ₱2,116

51.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$4.46 ₱275

501.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$5.96 ₱367

5.70%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$150 ₱9,262

190.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$4,264 ₱262.9K

144.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$46.29 ₱2,854

22.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$26.95 ₱1,662

64.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$75.0 ₱4,626

37.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$53.3 ₱3,289

97.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$264 ₱16.3K

287.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$179 ₱11.0K

252.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$599 ₱36.9K

256.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$391 ₱24.1K

217.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$2,492 ₱153.6K

56.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$960 ₱59.2K

115.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$119 ₱7,309

840.65%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Calapan City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $264 in Calapan City. 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 841% 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 $18.00 in Calapan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $206 – making Calapan City 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 Calapan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 87%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,175 in Calapan City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calapan City, 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 $54.0 in Mexico City and $18.00 in Calapan City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,467 in Mexico City and $783 in Calapan City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calapan City, where all-in costs run around $783, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Calapan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calapan City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Calapan City. 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.