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 $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $732 in Calapan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,101 in Calapan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $1,469 in Calapan City, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 127% more than Calapan City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Calapan City is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$3.66 ₱229

225.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$16.41 ₱1,028

214.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$2.75 ₱172

314.91%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$2.17 ₱136

83.87%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.58 ₱36.15

186.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.33 ₱20.74

303.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$1.09 ₱68.4

218.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$1.83 ₱115

222.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.68 ₱105

11.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$1.15 ₱71.9

182.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$0.97 ₱60.7

122.68%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$1.95 ₱123

48.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$5.63 ₱353

128.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.21 ₱264

138.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$7.19 ₱451

120.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$2.28 ₱143

44.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.61 ₱101

24.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$2.43 ₱152

-9.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$1.17 ₱73.5

101.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$2.13 ₱133

-3.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$1.99 ₱124

-4.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.83 ₱52.0

93.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.53 ₱33.15

164.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$2.75 ₱172

98.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$7.70 ₱483

129.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$0.91 ₱57.2

126.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$1.98 ₱124

136.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.25 ₱15.62

36.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$10.93 ₱685

90.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$0.81 ₱51.0

159.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$0.24 ₱14.84

133.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$1.72 ₱108

237.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.05 ₱65.5

53.33%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$21.7K ₱1.4M

5.11%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$16.6K ₱1.0M

61.56%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$121 ₱7,571

-46.05%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$13.91 ₱872

116.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$24.23 ₱1,518

53.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$31.31 ₱1,962

90.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$5.21 ₱326

409.60%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.06 ₱317

39.13%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$147 ₱9,187

216.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$8,840 ₱554.0K

50.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$28.85 ₱1,808

163.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$17.95 ₱1,125

211.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$79.6 ₱4,987

40.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$49.22 ₱3,084

144.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$305 ₱19.1K

261.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$189 ₱11.9K

280.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$428 ₱26.8K

490.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$362 ₱22.7K

257.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$2,611 ₱163.6K

52.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$1,046 ₱65.5K

99.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$118 ₱7,367

782.39%

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 Calapan City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $305 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 782% 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 $16.00 in Calapan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $180 – 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 127%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,098 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 $52.0 in Mexico City and $16.00 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 $1,660 in Mexico City and $732 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 $732, than in Mexico City at $1,660. 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.