Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Dagupan

For one person, living is cheaper in Dagupan: $730 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Dagupan, Philippines
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Dagupan
🇵🇭 Philippines
$730
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Dagupan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Mexico City vs $730 in Dagupan, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • Dagupan $730

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Mexico City vs $1,083 in Dagupan, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • Dagupan $1,083

A family of three spends $3,490 per month in Mexico City vs $1,435 in Dagupan, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • Dagupan $1,435

Mexico City costs about 120% more than Dagupan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mexico City sits 18% above the global median, while Dagupan is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Dagupan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$200
$2.76 ₱176
284.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$909
$11.82 ₱753
309.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$194
$4.25 ₱271
143.53%
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$69.4
$2.39 ₱152
54.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.32
$0.49 ₱31.35
240.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.78
$0.22 ₱13.96
477.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$60.0
$1.20 ₱76.4
165.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$99.7
$2.67 ₱170
98.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Dagupan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.41
$1.71 ₱109
0.58%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$57.1
$1.27 ₱80.6
139.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.48
$0.93 ₱59.0
108.60%
Eggs
$2.89 MX$54.3
$1.92 ₱122
50.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$206
$5.68 ₱362
93.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$174
$4.73 ₱302
95.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$284
$6.66 ₱424
127.18%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$57.3
$3.91 ₱249
-21.99%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.48
$1.91 ₱121
1.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$38.06
$2.76 ₱176
-26.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.50
$1.12 ₱71.5
106.25%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$38.25
$2.78 ₱177
-26.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.83
$3.38 ₱216
-46.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.80
$1.04 ₱66.5
42.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.82
$0.53 ₱33.69
139.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$99.7
$2.30 ₱146
130.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$303
$5.36 ₱341
200.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$37.27
$0.82 ₱52.3
141.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.9
$1.86 ₱118
128.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Dagupan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.73
$0.20 ₱12.62
55.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$371
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.53
$0.60 ₱38.37
206.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$10.03
$0.23 ₱14.66
130.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$99.5
$1.90 ₱121
178.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.39
$1.10 ₱70.1
37.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$408.8K
$20.9K ₱1.3M
3.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$450.8K
$18.7K ₱1.2M
28.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Dagupan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,184
$103 ₱6,549
-38.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$515
$15.47 ₱985
77.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$670
$25.08 ₱1,597
42.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Dagupan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,108
$32.41 ₱2,065
81.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$444
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$120
$5.03 ₱320
27.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Dagupan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,111
$767 ₱48.8K
-43.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$214.7K
$7,158 ₱455.9K
59.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Dagupan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,282
$59.9 ₱3,816
13.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$999
$7.65 ₱487
594.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,026
$78.4 ₱4,995
37.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,204
$102 ₱6,521
14.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Dagupan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.9K
$189 ₱12.0K
489.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.4K
$159 ₱10.1K
346.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.6K
$351 ₱22.4K
637.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.4K
$262 ₱16.7K
436.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$68.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$40.1K
$463 ₱29.5K
360.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Dagupan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.8K
$231 ₱14.7K
309.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
7.5
51.33%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Dagupan: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
Dagupan
$159 77.6% $552
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
Dagupan
$194 39.4% $126
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
Dagupan
$78 60.9% $121
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
Dagupan
$112 28.3% $44
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Dagupan
$143 13.7% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Dagupan
$42 40.8% $29
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Dagupan
$2.6 * 90% $23

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 $189 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 in Mexico City are about 4.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Mexico City versus $12 in Dagupan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $194 – making Dagupan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇵🇭 Dagupan
🕒 Local time
22:09 10:09 PM
12:09 12:09 PM
14 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
174,302
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.98 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 63.69 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.12 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Dagupan 14,170 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Dagupan

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 Dagupan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dagupan cheaper than Mexico City?
Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 120%, 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 $1,096 in Dagupan. 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 Dagupan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $189 there versus $1,113 in Mexico City.
Is eating out cheaper in Mexico City or in Dagupan?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Mexico City and $12 in Dagupan. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Mexico City and in Dagupan?
Groceries cost about 65% more in Mexico City, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Mexico City or in Dagupan?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dagupan, where all-in costs run around $730, than in Mexico City at $1,608. In Dagupan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Mexico City or in Dagupan?
It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $730 in Dagupan to $1,608 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Dagupan. 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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