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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $867 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,349 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,832 in Cebu.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 67% more expensive than Cebu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Cebu is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$4.40 ₱267

195.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$23.84 ₱1,448

120.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$4.50 ₱273

109.56%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.65 ₱161

34.72%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.80 ₱48.45

101.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.42 ₱25.44

173.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.51 ₱91.8

108.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.15 ₱131

126.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.22 ₱135

-23.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.53 ₱92.9

72.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.12 ₱68.3

69.64%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.31 ₱140

9.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$13.06 ₱793

-22.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.38 ₱327

54.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$7.76 ₱471

49.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.63 ₱220

-16.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.50 ₱91.1

14.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$3.42 ₱207

-40.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$2.17 ₱132

-5.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$2.53 ₱154

-18.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.44 ₱148

-11.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.00 ₱60.8

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.79 ₱48.14

41.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$3.26 ₱198

31.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$6.30 ₱383

144.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.15 ₱69.7

45.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.30 ₱140

60.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.28 ₱17.03

35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$15.06 ₱914

26.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.83 ₱50.5

66.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.23 ₱13.85

21.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$2.71 ₱165

100.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.09 ₱66.3

17.43%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$30.5K ₱1.9M

-37.77%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$27.1K ₱1.6M

-13.49%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$97.2 ₱5,900

-57.79%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$34.37 ₱2,087

-21.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$30.15 ₱1,831

-1.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$33.14 ₱2,012

57.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$8.25 ₱501

217.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$5.84 ₱355

5.82%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$228 ₱13.8K

87.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$3,923 ₱238.2K

172.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$51.7 ₱3,140

9.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$22.99 ₱1,396

95.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$75.2 ₱4,567

38.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$56.4 ₱3,422

88.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$511 ₱31.0K

94.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$210 ₱12.7K

195.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$787 ₱47.8K

170.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$391 ₱23.7K

220.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,948 ₱179.0K

32.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,906 ₱115.7K

9.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$378 ₱23.0K

192.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

41.75%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cebu: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $511 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 193% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $241 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

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 Cebu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 193% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $511 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $867 in Cebu – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 27% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $867 in Cebu versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Cebu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.