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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $540 in Dasmarinas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $967 in Dasmarinas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,395 in Dasmarinas.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 173% more expensive than in Dasmarinas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Dasmarinas is 59% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$3.47 ₱213

278.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$13.24 ₱810

304.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$2.61 ₱160

257.47%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.57 ₱96.3

135.67%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.58 ₱35.63

175.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.33 ₱20.34

239.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.05 ₱64.2

199.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$1.32 ₱80.8

267.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.59 ₱97.3

3.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.11 ₱68.2

144.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$0.85 ₱51.9

124.71%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.02 ₱124

28.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$5.65 ₱346

73.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$3.86 ₱236

118.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$8.11 ₱497

47.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.62 ₱160

12.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.45 ₱88.7

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.72 ₱105

18.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.68 ₱41.92

202.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.09 ₱66.5

97.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$2.24 ₱137

0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.67 ₱40.92

107.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.46 ₱27.97

143.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.09 ₱128

101.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$9.08 ₱556

92.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.08 ₱65.8

58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.27 ₱139

59.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.26 ₱15.75

34.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$4.46 ₱273

333.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.90 ₱55.1

53.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.22 ₱13.43

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$2.37 ₱145

122.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.11 ₱68.2

22.52%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$31.4K ₱1.9M

-39.18%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$20.1K ₱1.2M

17.53%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$43.55 ₱2,666

-6.93%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$34.36 ₱2,103

-20.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$25.77 ₱1,578

17.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$11.83 ₱724

341.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$4.54 ₱278

483.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$5.63 ₱345

9.95%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$153 ₱9,379

177.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$4,640 ₱284.0K

131.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$48.00 ₱2,938

21.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$27.89 ₱1,707

59.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$76.0 ₱4,652

36.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$46.13 ₱2,823

135.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$269 ₱16.5K

276.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$85.2 ₱5,217

630.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$595 ₱36.4K

256.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$388 ₱23.8K

214.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$387 ₱23.7K

444.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$370 ₱22.6K

184.64%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Dasmarinas: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $269 in Dasmarinas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 185% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $13.00 in Dasmarinas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $175 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 173% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $540 including rent). Dasmarinas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 185% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $269 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 333% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 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 $540 in Dasmarinas versus $1,472 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 173% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.