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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $821 in Davao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,263 in Davao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,705 in Davao.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 79% more expensive than Davao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Davao is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$4.41 ₱272

198.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$24.31 ₱1,499

121.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.62 ₱285

103.90%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.13 ₱131

66.67%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.88 ₱54.2

84.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.53 ₱32.92

109.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.39 ₱85.4

124.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$1.80 ₱111

157.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.76 ₱108

-3.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.26 ₱77.5

115.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$0.91 ₱56.3

109.89%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.06 ₱127

23.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$5.89 ₱363

70.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.50 ₱278

79.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$7.12 ₱439

63.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.88 ₱178

3.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.13 ₱69.8

60.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$2.40 ₱148

-16.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.34 ₱82.6

51.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$2.22 ₱137

-4.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$3.15 ₱194

-27.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.32 ₱81.6

6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.57 ₱34.96

98.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$2.64 ₱163

61.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$8.01 ₱494

94.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.40 ₱86.3

25.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.56 ₱96.2

130.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.24 ₱14.84

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$14.15 ₱873

35.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.85 ₱52.3

62.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.23 ₱14.08

21.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$2.16 ₱133

152.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.09 ₱67.0

19.27%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$21.9K ₱1.4M

-14.76%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

11.05%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$104 ₱6,405

-60.66%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$33.96 ₱2,094

-21.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$35.46 ₱2,187

-15.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$40.61 ₱2,504

28.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$4.40 ₱272

510.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$4.40 ₱271

43.18%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$119 ₱7,328

266.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$8,012 ₱494.0K

30.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$65.6 ₱4,043

-13.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$30.07 ₱1,854

47.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$77.7 ₱4,792

32.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$67.8 ₱4,183

55.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$330 ₱20.4K

209.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$184 ₱11.3K

243.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$814 ₱50.2K

162.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$370 ₱22.8K

235.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,654 ₱102.0K

135.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,457 ₱89.9K

41.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$216 ₱13.3K

416.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.56

18.62%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Davao: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $330 in Davao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 417% 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 $24.00 in Davao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $192 per month, with Davao 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 Davao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Davao is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 417% 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $330 in Davao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Davao – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $821 in Davao – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $821 in Davao versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Davao but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Davao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Davao is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Davao 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 Davao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.