Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and El Nido Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and El Nido

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $742 in El Nido, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,159 in El Nido, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $1,576 in El Nido, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 126% more than El Nido, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while El Nido is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$4.81 ₱301

152.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$29.51 ₱1,850

82.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$3.75 ₱235

195.73%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.14 ₱134

91.59%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$1.21 ₱75.9

38.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.32 ₱19.76

334.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$1.17 ₱73.2

184.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$2.03 ₱127

189.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.47 ₱92.0

25.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.21 ₱76.0

161.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.29 ₱80.6

60.47%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$1.90 ₱119

54.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$5.82 ₱365

116.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$3.96 ₱248

155.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$7.23 ₱453

122.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.44 ₱153

38.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.66 ₱104

25.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$2.12 ₱133

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.13 ₱70.8

113.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$2.04 ₱128

4.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.94 ₱122

3.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.78 ₱49.06

98.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.52 ₱32.45

161.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$2.79 ₱175

106.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$7.04 ₱441

151.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$0.90 ₱56.5

130.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$1.92 ₱120

140.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.27 ₱17.04

37.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$11.60 ₱727

82.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$0.82 ₱51.4

150.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.25 ₱15.56

132.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$2.10 ₱131

189.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.24 ₱78.0

25.00%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$24.5K ₱1.5M

-6.65%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$17.2K ₱1.1M

58.45%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$139 ₱8,720

-51.54%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$14.38 ₱901

112.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$24.35 ₱1,527

52.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$30.35 ₱1,903

102.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$5.31 ₱333

410.73%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$5.64 ₱353

26.06%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$142 ₱8,882

221.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$8,588 ₱538.4K

59.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$28.53 ₱1,789

160.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$20.84 ₱1,306

173.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$64.3 ₱4,031

79.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$50.8 ₱3,186

139.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$266 ₱16.6K

332.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$157 ₱9,869

350.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$459 ₱28.8K

461.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$386 ₱24.2K

235.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$2,423 ₱151.9K

65.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$985 ₱61.8K

116.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$253 ₱15.8K

327.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.75

67.41%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for El Nido: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $266 in El Nido. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 328% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $30.00 in El Nido. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $176 – making El Nido the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 El Nido: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City, $742 in El Nido – roughly 126% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $1,113 in El Nido. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Nido, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 83% less in El Nido. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $456 per month in Mexico City and $142 in El Nido. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in El Nido, where all-in costs run around $742, than in Mexico City at $1,677. In El Nido it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $742 in El Nido to $1,677 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with El Nido. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.