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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $836 in Dagupan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,222 in Dagupan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,609 in Dagupan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 78% more than Dagupan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Dagupan is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$3.23 ₱199

301.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$13.54 ₱835

291.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$4.81 ₱297

102.08%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.76 ₱170

35.87%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.51 ₱31.26

207.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.28 ₱17.28

303.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.34 ₱82.9

137.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.98 ₱184

56.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.11 ₱130

-23.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.44 ₱88.6

88.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$0.89 ₱55.2

111.24%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.19 ₱135

14.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$6.49 ₱401

55.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.40 ₱272

88.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$7.81 ₱482

52.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$4.40 ₱271

-35.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.97 ₱122

-11.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.71 ₱167

-23.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.26 ₱77.5

56.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$3.15 ₱194

-31.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.96 ₱183

-26.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.10 ₱67.7

26.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.59 ₱36.52

89.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.74 ₱169

53.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$5.69 ₱351

150.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.00 ₱61.7

76.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.12 ₱131

73.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.24 ₱14.82

62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.69 ₱42.32

101.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.38 ₱23.45

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$3.47 ₱214

56.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.12 ₱69.0

20.54%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$33.5K ₱2.1M

-43.70%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$22.3K ₱1.4M

3.97%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$113 ₱6,987

-63.96%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$26.87 ₱1,658

2.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$29.55 ₱1,822

2.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$36.99 ₱2,282

44.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$5.82 ₱359

7.73%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$328 ₱20.2K

33.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$7,806 ₱481.5K

34.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$59.3 ₱3,657

-4.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$8.77 ₱541

410.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$85.1 ₱5,249

20.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$122 ₱7,507

-11.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$218 ₱13.5K

357.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$173 ₱10.7K

257.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$529 ₱32.6K

304.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$296 ₱18.2K

317.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$500 ₱30.8K

366.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$242 ₱14.9K

340.40%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dagupan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $218 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 340% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $14.00 in Dagupan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $211 – 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 78%, 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 $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,254 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 $53.0 in Mexico City and $14.00 in Dagupan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% 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 $836, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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.