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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,448 per month in Mexico City vs $785 in Dagupan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Mexico City vs $1,180 in Dagupan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Mexico City vs $1,574 in Dagupan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 84% more than Dagupan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Dagupan is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$225

$3.20 ₱194

305.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$908

$13.43 ₱813

289.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$168

$4.97 ₱301

94.97%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.1

$2.74 ₱166

36.86%

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

$1.56 MX$27.14

$0.51 ₱30.81

205.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.10

$0.26 ₱15.59

346.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$56.3

$1.30 ₱78.5

149.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$85.0

$2.98 ₱181

64.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.54

$2.19 ₱133

-22.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$46.30

$1.49 ₱90.2

79.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.77

$0.89 ₱54.1

112.36%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.74

$2.17 ₱131

16.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$174

$6.28 ₱380

59.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$148

$4.61 ₱279

85.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$207

$7.66 ₱464

55.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.6

$4.42 ₱267

-32.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.14

$1.92 ₱116

-6.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.69

$2.72 ₱165

-26.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.03

$1.32 ₱79.9

48.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.53

$3.10 ₱188

-30.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.38

$2.84 ₱172

-20.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.34

$1.10 ₱66.3

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.34

$0.61 ₱36.76

81.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.9

$2.65 ₱160

58.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$287

$5.94 ₱360

178.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.19

$0.95 ₱57.5

76.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$62.3

$2.11 ₱128

70.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.71

$0.22 ₱13.30

77.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$333

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.98

$0.69 ₱41.70

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.24

$0.24 ₱14.55

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$93.5

$3.56 ₱216

51.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.32

$1.12 ₱67.5

15.18%

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

$18.9K MX$327.9K

$33.8K ₱2.0M

-44.17%

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

$23.8K MX$413.0K

$21.6K ₱1.3M

10.16%

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

$39.86 MX$692

$113 ₱6,864

-64.84%

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

$27.83 MX$483

$27.59 ₱1,670

0.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$517

$29.56 ₱1,790

0.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$902

$37.43 ₱2,266

38.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$455

$4.55 ₱276

476.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$109

$5.61 ₱340

11.76%

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

$433 MX$7,508

$114 ₱6,896

279.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.9K

$4,399 ₱266.3K

139.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$989

$59.5 ₱3,601

-4.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$787

$9.07 ₱549

399.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,768

$85.3 ₱5,161

19.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,883

$50.5 ₱3,055

115.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.2K

$225 ₱13.6K

341.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.7K

$176 ₱10.7K

249.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$36.2K

$523 ₱31.7K

298.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.8K

$300 ₱18.2K

318.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$68.3K

$2,653 ₱160.6K

48.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$36.2K

$1,019 ₱61.7K

104.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.6K

$247 ₱15.0K

358.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.67

70.01%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Dagupan: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Mexico City versus $225 in Dagupan. 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 358% 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 $13.00 in Dagupan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $213 – making Dagupan 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 Dagupan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 84%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,173 per month in Mexico City and $1,178 in Dagupan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dagupan, 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 $13.00 in Dagupan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dagupan, where all-in costs run around $785, than in Mexico City at $1,448. In Dagupan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dagupan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Dagupan. 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.