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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $566 in Cavite, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $885 in Cavite, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $1,204 in Cavite, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 196% more than Cavite, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while Cavite is 59% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$2.34 ₱146

418.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$15.99 ₱1,003

237.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$2.39 ₱150

364.02%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$1.77 ₱111

131.64%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.61 ₱38.01

175.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.31 ₱19.74

348.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$0.98 ₱61.2

239.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$1.62 ₱102

262.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.43 ₱89.4

29.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.11 ₱69.7

185.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$0.89 ₱55.7

132.58%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$1.92 ₱121

52.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$5.20 ₱326

142.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$3.38 ₱212

199.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$6.19 ₱388

159.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.11 ₱132

60.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.15 ₱72.1

80.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$2.39 ₱150

-11.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.07 ₱67.1

125.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.72 ₱108

23.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.54 ₱96.4

30.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.53 ₱33.24

192.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.52 ₱32.67

161.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$2.02 ₱127

185.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$4.75 ₱298

273.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$0.88 ₱55.4

135.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$1.25 ₱78.2

268.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$13.32 ₱835

59.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$0.62 ₱38.81

230.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.23 ₱14.37

152.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$1.87 ₱118

224.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.20 ₱75.1

29.17%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$21.5K ₱1.4M

6.22%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$18.9K ₱1.2M

43.78%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$89.2 ₱5,592

-24.43%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$13.79 ₱865

122.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$23.86 ₱1,496

56.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$48.25 ₱3,025

27.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$5.14 ₱322

38.33%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$132 ₱8,251

246.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$10.8K ₱676.0K

26.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$29.15 ₱1,827

154.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$19.35 ₱1,213

194.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$71.1 ₱4,456

62.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$55.9 ₱3,506

117.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$135 ₱8,447

751.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$82.9 ₱5,195

755.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$238 ₱15.0K

980.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$190 ₱11.9K

582.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$225 ₱14.1K

379.97%

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 Cavite: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $135 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 run about 380% 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 $16.00 in Cavite. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $153 – making Cavite 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 Cavite: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 196%, 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 $849 in Cavite. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,677 in Mexico City and $566 in Cavite. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 59% less in Cavite. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cavite, where all-in costs run around $566, than in Mexico City at $1,677. In Cavite it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Cavite. 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.