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 $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $730 in Dagupan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,096 in Dagupan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $1,463 in Dagupan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 127% more than Dagupan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Dagupan is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$2.84 ₱178

319.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$12.05 ₱756

328.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$4.50 ₱283

153.56%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.51 ₱158

58.96%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.49 ₱31.02

238.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.23 ₱14.35

478.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.18 ₱74.0

194.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.64 ₱166

123.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.75 ₱110

7.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.28 ₱80.4

153.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$0.96 ₱60.3

125.00%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.91 ₱120

51.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$5.59 ₱351

130.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.66 ₱292

115.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$7.03 ₱441

125.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$4.00 ₱251

-17.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.96 ₱123

2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.79 ₱175

-21.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.14 ₱71.4

107.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$2.92 ₱183

-29.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$3.42 ₱215

-44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.05 ₱65.7

53.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.54 ₱33.99

159.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.41 ₱151

126.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$5.65 ₱354

212.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$0.83 ₱52.2

148.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.96 ₱123

138.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.22 ₱13.81

54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.67 ₱41.86

213.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.21 ₱13.16

166.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$1.86 ₱116

212.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.02 ₱64.1

57.84%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$21.3K ₱1.3M

7.25%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$19.3K ₱1.2M

38.73%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$104 ₱6,531

-37.41%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$16.12 ₱1,011

86.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$25.59 ₱1,605

45.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$33.43 ₱2,097

78.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.04 ₱316

39.68%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$800 ₱50.2K

-41.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$7,373 ₱462.4K

80.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$60.8 ₱3,813

24.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$7.83 ₱491

614.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$82.0 ₱5,140

36.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$103 ₱6,440

17.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$190 ₱11.9K

480.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$158 ₱9,909

356.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$361 ₱22.6K

600.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$265 ₱16.6K

389.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$470 ₱29.5K

344.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$237 ₱14.9K

337.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

7.5

50.67%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Dagupan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $190 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 337% 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 $12.00 in Dagupan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $197 – 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 127%, 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 $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,095 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 $12.00 in Dagupan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 75% 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 $730, than in Mexico City at $1,660. 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.