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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,448 in Mexico City versus $555 in Dasmarinas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,354 in Mexico City versus $974 in Dasmarinas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Mexico City versus $1,393 in Dasmarinas.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 161% more expensive than Dasmarinas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Dasmarinas is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$3.58 ₱215

262.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$13.40 ₱807

290.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$2.64 ₱159

267.05%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$1.57 ₱94.5

138.85%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$0.53 ₱32.09

194.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$0.33 ₱20.10

251.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$1.04 ₱62.4

211.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$1.31 ₱79.1

274.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$1.60 ₱96.4

6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$1.06 ₱63.8

151.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$0.85 ₱51.4

122.35%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$1.99 ₱120

26.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$5.69 ₱343

76.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$3.72 ₱224

129.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$8.02 ₱483

48.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$2.68 ₱162

10.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$1.41 ₱84.8

26.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$1.80 ₱108

11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$0.70 ₱41.91

180.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$1.03 ₱62.2

109.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$2.23 ₱134

1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$0.73 ₱44.01

91.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$0.43 ₱25.69

158.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$2.14 ₱129

96.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$9.08 ₱547

82.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$1.07 ₱64.6

57.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$2.37 ₱143

51.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$0.28 ₱16.94

39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

$4.31 ₱259

345.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$0.86 ₱51.9

60.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$0.24 ₱14.47

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$2.33 ₱141

131.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$1.11 ₱66.8

16.22%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$32.2K ₱1.9M

-41.26%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$20.1K ₱1.2M

18.58%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$43.24 ₱2,604

-7.82%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$34.85 ₱2,099

-20.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$26.41 ₱1,591

12.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$11.67 ₱703

345.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

$4.32 ₱260

506.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$5.65 ₱341

10.97%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$153 ₱9,185

183.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$4,719 ₱284.2K

123.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$48.98 ₱2,950

16.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$27.53 ₱1,658

64.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$76.5 ₱4,608

33.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$46.91 ₱2,825

131.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$265 ₱16.0K

275.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$85.3 ₱5,136

623.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$589 ₱35.5K

254.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$402 ₱24.2K

212.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

$392 ₱23.6K

432.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

$379 ₱22.8K

198.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.4

77.19%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Dasmarinas: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $994 in Mexico City and $265 in Dasmarinas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 198% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $13.00 in Dasmarinas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $174 per month, with Dasmarinas 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 Dasmarinas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Dasmarinas differ by about 161% in total monthly costs ($1,448 vs $555 including rent). Dasmarinas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 198% 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: $994 in Mexico City versus $265 in Dasmarinas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dasmarinas runs roughly 345% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $433 in Mexico City versus $153 in Dasmarinas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $555 in Dasmarinas versus $1,448 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dasmarinas but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Dasmarinas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Dasmarinas 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 Dasmarinas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.