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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,682 per month in Mexico City vs $608 in Caloocan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,599 per month in Mexico City vs $945 in Caloocan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,516 per month in Mexico City vs $1,282 in Caloocan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 177% more than Caloocan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 23% above the global median, while Caloocan is 56% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$2.40 ₱148

392.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$17.36 ₱1,070

200.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$2.26 ₱139

380.97%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$0.90 ₱55.3

347.78%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$0.43 ₱26.57

297.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$0.32 ₱19.43

318.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$1.00 ₱61.4

239.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$1.65 ₱102

247.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$1.72 ₱106

9.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.19 ₱73.3

166.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$0.90 ₱55.8

127.78%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$1.82 ₱112

65.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$2.00 ₱123

530.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$2.57 ₱159

286.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$5.09 ₱314

214.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$1.81 ₱112

81.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$1.04 ₱64.4

98.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$2.05 ₱126

1.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$1.10 ₱67.8

127.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$1.12 ₱69.2

83.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$1.81 ₱112

3.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$0.62 ₱38.18

153.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$0.53 ₱32.63

162.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$2.97 ₱183

81.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

$4.91 ₱302

265.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$0.93 ₱57.6

117.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$2.05 ₱126

132.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

$0.17 ₱10.64

111.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$0.75 ₱46.30

174.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

$0.23 ₱14.11

143.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

$1.94 ₱119

200.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$0.96 ₱59.3

60.42%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$22.0K ₱1.4M

2.27%

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$19.9K ₱1.2M

33.11%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$54.3 ₱3,346

21.56%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$9.77 ₱602

217.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$24.08 ₱1,484

50.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$4.89 ₱302

1076.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$5.31 ₱327

34.27%

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

$457 MX$7,738

$134 ₱8,248

241.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

$10.9K ₱671.9K

21.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$29.96 ₱1,847

153.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$20.15 ₱1,242

168.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$50.3 ₱3,101

131.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$44.01 ₱2,713

176.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$272 ₱16.8K

321.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

$242 ₱14.9K

199.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

$525 ₱32.4K

376.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

$482 ₱29.7K

175.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$277 ₱17.1K

286.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

6.75

68.15%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Caloocan: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,147 in Mexico City versus $272 in Caloocan. 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 286% 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 $17.00 in Caloocan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $138 – making Caloocan 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 Caloocan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 177% more than Caloocan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,523 per month in Mexico City and $912 in Caloocan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Caloocan, 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 $17.00 in Caloocan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 150% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Caloocan, where all-in costs run around $608, than in Mexico City at $1,682. In Caloocan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Caloocan costs $608 versus $1,682 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Caloocan. 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.