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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $793 in Calapan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,233 in Calapan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,672 in Calapan City, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 84% more than Calapan City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Calapan City is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$3.65 ₱225

258.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$940

$17.92 ₱1,103

199.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$3.33 ₱205

190.69%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.4

$2.44 ₱150

53.28%

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

$1.62 MX$28.25

$0.76 ₱46.90

113.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.31

$0.37 ₱22.66

213.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.4

$1.30 ₱80.3

148.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.9

$2.19 ₱135

116.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.80

$1.85 ₱114

-10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.15

$1.27 ₱78.5

116.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.77

$1.02 ₱63.1

83.33%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.72

$1.99 ₱122

25.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$8.11 ₱499

25.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$4.20 ₱259

96.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$7.63 ₱470

54.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.6

$2.83 ₱174

6.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.67

$1.54 ₱94.6

17.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.96

$2.71 ₱167

-26.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.89

$1.56 ₱96.1

28.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.45

$2.32 ₱143

-10.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.72

$2.51 ₱154

-9.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.47

$1.12 ₱69.1

30.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.82

$0.71 ₱43.54

52.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.0

$2.76 ₱170

57.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$297

$8.21 ₱506

106.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.31

$1.15 ₱70.6

50.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.5

$2.07 ₱127

72.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.77

$0.28 ₱17.31

39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

$14.11 ₱869

32.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$0.77 ₱47.22

72.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.89

$0.22 ₱13.46

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.8

$2.08 ₱128

152.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.37

$1.13 ₱69.6

18.58%

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

$19.4K MX$339.4K

$26.4K ₱1.6M

-26.61%

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

$23.8K MX$416.7K

$20.2K ₱1.2M

17.75%

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

$40.69 MX$712

$112 ₱6,884

-63.61%

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

$26.87 MX$470

$32.42 ₱1,996

-17.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$534

$26.99 ₱1,661

13.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$923

$33.28 ₱2,049

58.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

$4.39 ₱270

507.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$6.05 ₱372

7.60%

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

$428 MX$7,485

$151 ₱9,278

184.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.6K

$4,286 ₱263.9K

144.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,001

$46.48 ₱2,862

23.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$796

$26.67 ₱1,642

70.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,819

$75.4 ₱4,645

37.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,885

$53.0 ₱3,266

103.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$269 ₱16.6K

272.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$180 ₱11.1K

246.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.9K

$580 ₱35.7K

263.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.3K

$398 ₱24.5K

206.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

$2,361 ₱145.4K

64.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

$978 ₱60.2K

107.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$119 ₱7,324

772.31%

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 Calapan City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $269 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 772% 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: $292 vs $205 – 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 84%, 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 $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $1,190 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 $1,456 in Mexico City and $793 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 $793, than in Mexico City at $1,456. 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.