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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $806 in Dumaguete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,208 in Dumaguete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,611 in Dumaguete.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 106% more expensive than in Dumaguete, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Dumaguete is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$3.73 ₱234

219.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$15.69 ₱983

228.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$4.26 ₱267

167.84%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$2.32 ₱145

71.98%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.76 ₱47.92

118.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.43 ₱27.04

209.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$1.38 ₱86.4

151.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$1.89 ₱118

212.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.67 ₱105

12.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$1.32 ₱82.9

146.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$0.93 ₱58.4

132.26%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$1.74 ₱109

66.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$8.53 ₱534

50.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.30 ₱270

133.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$7.22 ₱453

119.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$1.61 ₱101

104.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.29 ₱81.0

55.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$3.55 ₱222

-38.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$1.30 ₱81.5

81.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$2.51 ₱157

-18.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$2.32 ₱145

-18.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.77 ₱48.06

109.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.58 ₱36.49

141.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$2.40 ₱150

127.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$8.79 ₱551

100.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$1.13 ₱71.1

82.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$1.30 ₱81.3

260.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.38 ₱23.96

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$10.12 ₱634

105.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$0.70 ₱43.59

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$0.15 ₱9.32

273.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$2.10 ₱132

176.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$0.98 ₱61.6

64.29%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

12.04%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$24.7K ₱1.5M

8.44%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$67.5 ₱4,231

-3.47%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$9.72 ₱609

209.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$26.66 ₱1,671

39.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$24.38 ₱1,528

145.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$4.07 ₱255

552.33%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$6.96 ₱436

1.15%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$59.2 ₱3,711

684.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$1,674 ₱104.9K

692.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$97.1 ₱6,084

-21.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$32.32 ₱2,025

73.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$99.4 ₱6,229

12.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$113 ₱7,099

6.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$234 ₱14.7K

370.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$209 ₱13.1K

245.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$434 ₱27.2K

483.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$357 ₱22.4K

262.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$3,061 ₱191.8K

30.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$668 ₱41.9K

212.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$279 ₱17.5K

271.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

61.43%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $234 in Dumaguete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 272% 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 $16.00 in Dumaguete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $194 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 106% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $806 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 272% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $234 in Dumaguete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $806 in Dumaguete – a 106% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 106% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $806 in Dumaguete versus $1,660 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 106% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.