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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $675 in Caloocan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,053 in Caloocan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,432 in Caloocan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 120% more than Caloocan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Caloocan is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$3.56 ₱220

264.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$13.50 ₱832

293.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$2.71 ₱167

258.67%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.13 ₱70.0

231.86%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.47 ₱29.00

234.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.37 ₱22.87

205.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.35 ₱83.4

135.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$1.96 ₱121

137.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.90 ₱117

-14.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.19 ₱73.4

127.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.04 ₱64.3

80.77%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.01 ₱124

24.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$2.17 ₱134

364.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.81 ₱173

195.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$5.50 ₱340

117.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.05 ₱127

39.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.10 ₱67.7

59.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.34 ₱144

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.22 ₱75.5

61.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.22 ₱75.2

77.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.29 ₱141

-4.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.72 ₱44.52

93.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.59 ₱36.23

89.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$3.18 ₱196

32.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$4.98 ₱307

186.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.08 ₱66.6

62.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.28 ₱141

61.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.22 ₱13.60

77.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.79 ₱48.55

75.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.24 ₱14.82

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$2.32 ₱143

133.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.11 ₱68.2

21.62%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$32.5K ₱2.0M

-41.92%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

11.91%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$61.0 ₱3,763

-33.09%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$10.60 ₱654

159.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$26.26 ₱1,620

15.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$5.20 ₱321

927.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$4.41 ₱272

496.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$5.84 ₱360

7.36%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$150 ₱9,272

190.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$4,807 ₱296.5K

117.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$48.06 ₱2,964

18.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$27.23 ₱1,679

64.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$53.2 ₱3,281

93.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$47.05 ₱2,902

129.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$284 ₱17.5K

251.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$264 ₱16.3K

135.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$592 ₱36.5K

260.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$526 ₱32.4K

134.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$2,325 ₱143.4K

66.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$275 ₱16.9K

288.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.5

152.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Caloocan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $284 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 288% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $13.00 in Caloocan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $151 – 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 120% more than Caloocan, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,013 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 $53.0 in Mexico City and $13.00 in Caloocan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 90% 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 $675, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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 $675 versus $1,484 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.