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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $861 in Dumaguete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,330 in Dumaguete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,800 in Dumaguete.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 70% more expensive than Dumaguete, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Dumaguete is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$3.21 ₱198

310.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$14.15 ₱873

280.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.39 ₱270

114.58%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.32 ₱143

53.02%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.77 ₱47.19

110.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.36 ₱22.29

208.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.07 ₱66.1

191.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.14 ₱132

116.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.74 ₱107

-2.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.44 ₱88.6

88.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.03 ₱63.6

85.44%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.00 ₱124

27.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$9.46 ₱583

6.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$5.11 ₱315

58.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$7.99 ₱493

45.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.76 ₱108

68.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.38 ₱85.4

31.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$4.05 ₱250

-50.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.38 ₱85.4

47.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$2.40 ₱148

-11.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$2.62 ₱162

-13.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.86 ₱52.8

62.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.61 ₱37.54

85.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$2.59 ₱159

64.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$7.99 ₱493

94.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.22 ₱75.4

44.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.96 ₱121

83.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.50 ₱30.84

-24.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$8.90 ₱549

115.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.78 ₱47.88

76.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.27 ₱16.83

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$0.91 ₱56.1

498.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.15 ₱70.6

13.04%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$22.7K ₱1.4M

-17.59%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$38.5K ₱2.4M

-39.96%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$74.3 ₱4,580

-44.99%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$44.54 ₱2,747

-39.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$29.05 ₱1,791

3.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$23.73 ₱1,463

119.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$3.50 ₱216

666.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$6.15 ₱379

2.44%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$70.7 ₱4,361

516.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$1,887 ₱116.4K

451.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$108 ₱6,646

-47.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$35.97 ₱2,218

23.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$110 ₱6,799

-6.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$84.5 ₱5,209

24.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$242 ₱14.9K

322.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$213 ₱13.1K

196.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$439 ₱27.1K

386.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$417 ₱25.7K

198.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$3,117 ₱192.2K

25.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$689 ₱42.5K

199.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$283 ₱17.5K

293.39%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $242 in Dumaguete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 293% 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 $288 vs $211 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 70% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $861 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 293% 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 $242 in Dumaguete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $861 in Dumaguete – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 116% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $861 in Dumaguete versus $1,467 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 70% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.