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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $723 in Calbayog, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,106 in Calbayog, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $1,488 in Calbayog, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 132% more than Calbayog, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while Calbayog is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$3.80 ₱238

219.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$915

$17.03 ₱1,067

216.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$2.77 ₱174

300.36%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.6

$2.26 ₱141

81.42%

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

$1.68 MX$28.55

$0.63 ₱39.38

166.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.56

$0.34 ₱21.40

308.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$1.12 ₱70.4

197.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.8

$1.83 ₱115

221.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.42

$1.62 ₱101

14.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.12 ₱70.0

183.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.14

$0.91 ₱57.0

127.47%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.69

$1.89 ₱118

55.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$5.48 ₱344

129.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$4.13 ₱259

144.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$7.09 ₱444

126.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.37 ₱148

43.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.27

$1.55 ₱97.1

34.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.99

$2.33 ₱146

-9.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.97

$1.18 ₱73.9

104.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.13

$2.04 ₱128

4.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.03

$1.95 ₱122

3.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.23

$0.83 ₱52.3

86.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.16

$0.53 ₱32.99

156.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.9

$2.84 ₱178

103.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$7.83 ₱491

126.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$0.97 ₱60.6

113.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$1.93 ₱121

138.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.25 ₱15.48

48.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$11.18 ₱701

89.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.86

$0.77 ₱48.35

166.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.25 ₱15.68

132.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$1.88 ₱118

222.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.35

$1.16 ₱72.9

33.62%

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

$22.9K MX$388.2K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

8.05%

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

$27.2K MX$462.2K

$19.3K ₱1.2M

41.30%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$122 ₱7,659

-44.84%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$15.07 ₱944

103.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$24.27 ₱1,521

53.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$32.07 ₱2,010

91.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$4.85 ₱304

459.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$5.08 ₱318

39.96%

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

$456 MX$7,743

$134 ₱8,369

241.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.4K

$8,012 ₱502.1K

70.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$31.60 ₱1,980

134.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$968

$19.39 ₱1,215

194.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,959

$72.7 ₱4,555

58.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,062

$55.2 ₱3,461

120.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$265 ₱16.6K

333.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$172 ₱10.8K

312.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$504 ₱31.6K

411.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$357 ₱22.4K

262.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$68.0K

$2,549 ₱159.7K

57.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$1,041 ₱65.3K

104.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$155 ₱9,708

598.55%

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 6, 2026

Last update for Calbayog: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $265 in Calbayog. 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 599% 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 $17.00 in Calbayog. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $177 – making Calbayog 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 Calbayog: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 132%, 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 $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $1,085 in Calbayog. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calbayog, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 95% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $17.00 in Calbayog. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calbayog, where all-in costs run around $723, than in Mexico City at $1,677. In Calbayog it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calbayog – 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 Calbayog. 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.