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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $805 in Davao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,239 in Davao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,672 in Davao.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 104% more expensive than in Davao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Davao is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$204

$4.95 ₱310

144.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$881

$26.82 ₱1,680

94.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$3.98 ₱249

173.87%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.4

$2.71 ₱170

49.45%

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

$1.72 MX$28.95

$1.10 ₱68.9

56.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.25

$0.69 ₱43.37

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.5

$1.63 ₱102

112.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.1

$2.34 ₱146

148.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.28

$1.94 ₱121

-4.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.4

$1.10 ₱68.7

192.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.20

$0.91 ₱57.1

129.67%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.10

$1.93 ₱121

50.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$6.91 ₱433

80.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$4.24 ₱266

138.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$268

$8.40 ₱526

89.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$2.67 ₱167

23.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.90

$1.07 ₱67.0

99.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.97

$2.28 ₱143

-3.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.31

$1.16 ₱72.7

111.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.95

$2.11 ₱132

3.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.15

$3.54 ₱222

-46.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.26

$1.19 ₱74.5

36.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.78

$0.66 ₱41.13

104.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.6

$2.42 ₱152

124.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$7.93 ₱497

121.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.90

$1.24 ₱77.7

66.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.1

$1.58 ₱98.7

200.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$0.33 ₱20.59

3.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

$13.43 ₱841

60.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.44

$0.83 ₱51.7

145.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.75

$0.23 ₱14.32

152.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$1.90 ₱119

214.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.27

$1.16 ₱72.4

39.66%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

7.56%

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

$26.7K MX$450.0K

$19.2K ₱1.2M

38.54%

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

$65.2 MX$1,101

$106 ₱6,654

-38.60%

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

$29.87 MX$504

$18.90 ₱1,183

58.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$617

$30.97 ₱1,939

18.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,030

$35.64 ₱2,232

71.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$3.63 ₱227

635.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$4.94 ₱309

38.66%

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

$453 MX$7,652

$107 ₱6,685

324.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$225.7K

$7,664 ₱479.9K

74.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,265

$62.3 ₱3,901

20.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$933

$26.84 ₱1,681

106.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,917

$71.2 ₱4,458

59.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,070

$61.9 ₱3,873

98.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.1K

$282 ₱17.6K

302.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$169 ₱10.6K

320.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$631 ₱39.5K

307.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.1K

$327 ₱20.5K

300.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.4K

$1,618 ₱101.3K

146.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$1,423 ₱89.1K

47.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$210 ₱13.1K

399.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

8.31

35.98%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Davao: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $282 in Davao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 399% 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 $27.00 in Davao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $195 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 104% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 399% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $282 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 $27.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,646 per month in Mexico City versus $805 in Davao – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $805 in Davao versus $1,646 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 104% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.