Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Cavite

For one person, living is cheaper in Cavite: $564 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Cavite, Philippines
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Cavite
🇵🇭 Philippines
$564
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Cavite

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Cavite actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Mexico City vs $564 in Cavite, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • Cavite $564

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Mexico City vs $879 in Cavite, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • Cavite $879

A family of three spends $3,490 per month in Mexico City vs $1,194 in Cavite, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • Cavite $1,194

Mexico City costs about 185% more than Cavite, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mexico City sits 18% above the global median, while Cavite is 59% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Cavite
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$198
$2.34 ₱149
353.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$901
$15.86 ₱1,014
204.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$193
$2.26 ₱144
357.96%
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$68.8
$1.77 ₱113
108.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.07
$0.58 ₱37.32
187.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.59
$0.33 ₱21.18
284.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$59.5
$0.95 ₱60.5
235.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$98.9
$1.54 ₱98.7
244.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Cavite
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.15
$1.38 ₱88.1
24.64%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$56.7
$1.09 ₱69.6
178.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.19
$0.89 ₱56.9
117.98%
Eggs
$2.89 MX$53.8
$1.95 ₱125
48.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$205
$5.10 ₱326
115.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$172
$3.40 ₱217
172.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$282
$6.12 ₱391
147.22%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$56.8
$2.03 ₱130
50.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.19
$1.06 ₱67.7
83.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.75
$2.34 ₱150
-13.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.15
$1.05 ₱67.4
120.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$37.94
$1.66 ₱106
22.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.55
$1.45 ₱92.4
24.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.58
$0.49 ₱31.23
202.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.63
$0.48 ₱30.64
164.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$98.9
$1.99 ₱127
166.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$300
$4.61 ₱295
249.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$36.97
$0.92 ₱58.8
115.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.3
$1.27 ₱81.3
234.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Cavite
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.69
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$368
$13.30 ₱850
48.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.25
$0.65 ₱41.74
183.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$9.94
$0.24 ₱15.36
120.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$98.7
$1.93 ₱123
174.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.16
$1.17 ₱74.5
29.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$405.5K
$20.6K ₱1.3M
5.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$447.1K
$19.2K ₱1.2M
24.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Cavite
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,174
$88.2 ₱5,633
-28.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$511
$13.52 ₱864
102.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$665
$23.40 ₱1,495
52.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Cavite
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,099
$46.02 ₱2,940
28.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$441
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$119
$5.03 ₱321
27.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Cavite
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,045
$131 ₱8,387
228.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$212.9K
$10.6K ₱679.7K
7.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Cavite
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,272
$28.81 ₱1,840
136.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$990
$19.03 ₱1,216
179.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,009
$71.4 ₱4,563
50.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,186
$54.4 ₱3,477
115.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Cavite
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.8K
$134 ₱8,555
731.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.2K
$81.0 ₱5,177
776.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.2K
$238 ₱15.2K
987.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.2K
$191 ₱12.2K
635.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$67.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$39.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Cavite
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.6K
$222 ₱14.2K
326.44%
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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Cavite: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
Cavite
$81 88.6% $629
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
Cavite
$150 53.1% $170
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
Cavite
$58 70.7% $140
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
Cavite
$78 49.9% $78
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Cavite
$125 0.7% $0.9
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Cavite
$56 21.8% $16
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Cavite
$15 * 40.5% $10

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,113 in Mexico City versus $134 in Cavite. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Mexico City are about 4.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Mexico City versus $16 in Cavite. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $150 – making Cavite the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇵🇭 Cavite
🕒 Local time
14:33 2:33 PM
04:33 4:33 AM
14 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
100,674
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.13 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Cavite 14,230 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Cavite

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Cavite: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cavite cheaper than Mexico City?
Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 185%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,412 per month in Mexico City and $845 in Cavite. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cavite, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $134 there versus $1,113 in Mexico City.
What are total monthly expenses in Mexico City and in Cavite?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,608 in Mexico City and $564 in Cavite. That makes Cavite about 65% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 33% less in Cavite. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Mexico City or in Cavite?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cavite, where all-in costs run around $564, than in Mexico City at $1,608. In Cavite it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Mexico City or Cavite more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Cavite – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Cavite. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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