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 $1,466 per month in Mexico City vs $823 in El Nido, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,325 per month in Mexico City vs $1,306 in El Nido, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,184 per month in Mexico City vs $1,788 in El Nido, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 78% more than El Nido, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while El Nido is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 MX$231

$5.17 ₱311

157.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$932

$30.48 ₱1,834

76.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.26 ₱256

121.13%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$3.98 ₱239

-9.80%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.36 ₱82.0

19.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$0.40 ₱24.00

180.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$1.36 ₱82.1

138.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 MX$80.6

$2.08 ₱125

123.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.82 ₱110

-9.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$46.00

$1.22 ₱73.3

117.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.99

$1.73 ₱104

13.29%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.08

$2.60 ₱156

-2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 MX$173

$8.16 ₱491

22.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 MX$145

$3.31 ₱199

153.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 MX$205

$8.31 ₱500

42.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.62

$3.00 ₱181

-4.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.05

$0.69 ₱41.33

150.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.50

$2.71 ₱163

-26.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.51

$2.11 ₱127

-2.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$2.21 ₱133

-6.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 MX$39.54

$2.11 ₱127

8.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.05

$1.11 ₱66.7

30.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.83

$0.71 ₱42.79

53.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$2.80 ₱168

52.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 MX$254

$9.10 ₱548

61.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.58

$1.16 ₱70.1

51.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MX$61.8

$2.06 ₱124

73.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.67

$0.37 ₱22.04

2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.09

$0.78 ₱46.89

78.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.26

$0.22 ₱13.15

36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$93.8

$2.10 ₱127

157.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.22

$1.04 ₱62.5

28.85%

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

$18.9K MX$326.7K

$27.0K ₱1.6M

-30.23%

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

$23.2K MX$402.0K

$20.1K ₱1.2M

15.19%

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

$40.30 MX$698

$114 ₱6,885

-64.77%

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

$27.15 MX$471

$32.43 ₱1,952

-16.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$510

$31.75 ₱1,911

-7.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 MX$914

$34.21 ₱2,059

54.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

$4.42 ₱266

492.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$107

$5.88 ₱354

5.10%

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

$441 MX$7,637

$153 ₱9,236

187.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.4K

$4,376 ₱263.4K

144.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 MX$992

$46.35 ₱2,789

23.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.04 MX$781

$26.35 ₱1,586

70.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,793

$75.6 ₱4,551

36.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,884

$53.7 ₱3,232

102.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.3K

$263 ₱15.8K

280.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 MX$11.0K

$179 ₱10.8K

252.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 MX$37.1K

$580 ₱34.9K

269.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 MX$21.7K

$400 ₱24.1K

212.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 MX$64.9K

$2,567 ₱154.5K

45.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,381 MX$41.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.7K

$262 ₱15.7K

312.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.67

70.01%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Last update for El Nido: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $263 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 313% 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 in Mexico City versus $30 in El Nido. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $206 – 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: $1,466 in Mexico City, $823 in El Nido – roughly 78% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,199 per month in Mexico City and $1,235 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,466 in Mexico City and $823 in El Nido. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $441 per month in Mexico City and $153 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 $823, than in Mexico City at $1,466. 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 $823 in El Nido to $1,466 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.