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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $852 in Dumaguete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,330 in Dumaguete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,807 in Dumaguete.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 71% more expensive than in Dumaguete, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Dumaguete is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$3.25 ₱200

302.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$14.16 ₱872

279.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$4.47 ₱275

116.55%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.33 ₱143

60.52%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.72 ₱44.34

125.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.36 ₱22.41

222.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.08 ₱66.4

199.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.08 ₱128

127.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.73 ₱107

-4.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$1.47 ₱90.2

87.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.02 ₱63.0

83.33%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$2.00 ₱123

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$9.83 ₱605

3.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$5.11 ₱314

61.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$7.69 ₱474

53.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$1.81 ₱112

66.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.38 ₱84.8

31.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$3.97 ₱244

-49.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.39 ₱85.4

43.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$2.38 ₱146

-12.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$2.52 ₱155

-9.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.92 ₱56.8

58.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.64 ₱39.50

68.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$2.72 ₱167

59.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$8.00 ₱493

112.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.21 ₱74.6

42.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$1.96 ₱120

82.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.47 ₱28.78

-17.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$8.96 ₱552

108.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$0.83 ₱50.9

60.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.27 ₱16.79

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$0.91 ₱56.3

476.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.15 ₱70.6

16.52%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$23.0K ₱1.4M

-15.61%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$39.3K ₱2.4M

-39.35%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$72.3 ₱4,451

-43.72%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$45.08 ₱2,775

-40.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$29.31 ₱1,804

4.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$23.57 ₱1,451

123.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$3.50 ₱215

661.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$6.21 ₱383

4.83%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$71.3 ₱4,391

500.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$1,875 ₱115.4K

460.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$107 ₱6,588

-46.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$35.68 ₱2,197

27.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$112 ₱6,908

-7.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$84.7 ₱5,214

27.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$239 ₱14.7K

319.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$209 ₱12.9K

198.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$430 ₱26.5K

390.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$421 ₱25.9K

189.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$3,056 ₱188.1K

27.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$702 ₱43.2K

189.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$292 ₱18.0K

255.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.5

74.46%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $239 in Dumaguete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 256% 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 $14.00 in Dumaguete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $212 per month, with Dumaguete 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 Dumaguete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Dumaguete differ by about 71% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $852 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 256% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $239 in Dumaguete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $852 in Dumaguete – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 109% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $852 in Dumaguete versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dumaguete but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Dumaguete 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 Dumaguete 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 Dumaguete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.