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: $1,466 in Mexico City versus $546 in Dasmarinas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,325 in Mexico City versus $990 in Dasmarinas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,184 in Mexico City versus $1,434 in Dasmarinas.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 169% more expensive than Dasmarinas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Dasmarinas is 59% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 MX$231

$3.51 ₱212

278.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$935

$13.37 ₱809

302.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$164

$2.70 ₱163

248.89%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$1.62 ₱98.3

121.60%

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

$1.62 MX$28.23

$0.53 ₱32.21

205.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.56

$0.30 ₱18.40

273.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$56.5

$1.03 ₱62.6

215.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 MX$80.9

$1.35 ₱81.8

244.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.47

$1.63 ₱98.9

0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$46.16

$1.10 ₱66.8

140.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.10

$0.84 ₱51.1

133.33%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.24

$1.99 ₱120

27.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 MX$173

$5.52 ₱334

80.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 MX$146

$3.84 ₱232

118.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 MX$206

$7.80 ₱472

51.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.79

$2.69 ₱163

6.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.15

$1.40 ₱84.6

23.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.62

$1.74 ₱105

14.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.63

$0.69 ₱41.95

197.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.77

$1.04 ₱62.9

98.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 MX$39.68

$2.30 ₱139

-0.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.14

$0.73 ₱44.29

98.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.90

$0.43 ₱25.77

153.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.2

$2.08 ₱126

105.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 MX$255

$9.19 ₱556

59.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.68

$1.07 ₱64.7

64.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MX$62.1

$2.37 ₱143

50.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.69

$0.26 ₱15.69

46.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$326

$4.50 ₱273

316.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.17

$0.87 ₱52.9

59.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.28

$0.24 ₱14.60

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$94.1

$2.36 ₱143

129.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.30

$1.11 ₱67.4

20.72%

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

$18.9K MX$327.8K

$32.1K ₱1.9M

-41.34%

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

$23.2K MX$403.4K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

11.91%

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

$40.30 MX$701

$44.14 ₱2,671

-8.70%

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

$27.15 MX$472

$34.55 ₱2,091

-21.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$512

$26.15 ₱1,582

12.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 MX$917

$11.79 ₱713

347.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$455

$4.52 ₱274

478.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$107

$5.78 ₱350

6.92%

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

$441 MX$7,664

$149 ₱9,017

195.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$186.0K

$4,807 ₱290.9K

122.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 MX$995

$48.47 ₱2,933

18.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.04 MX$783

$27.44 ₱1,660

64.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$75.8 ₱4,585

36.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,891

$46.97 ₱2,842

131.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.4K

$265 ₱16.0K

277.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 MX$11.0K

$82.8 ₱5,008

663.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 MX$37.2K

$592 ₱35.8K

261.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 MX$21.8K

$389 ₱23.5K

221.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 MX$65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,381 MX$41.4K

$407 ₱24.6K

485.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.8K

$379 ₱22.9K

184.89%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Dasmarinas: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $265 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 in Mexico City vs $13 in Dasmarinas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 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 169% in total monthly costs ($1,466 vs $546 including rent). Dasmarinas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 185% 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: $1,000 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 316% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $441 in Mexico City versus $149 in Dasmarinas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $546 in Dasmarinas versus $1,466 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 169% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.