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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $792 in Iligan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,213 in Iligan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $1,633 in Iligan City, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 83% more than Iligan City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Iligan City is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.60 ₱219

260.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$17.38 ₱1,056

202.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.35 ₱203

181.49%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.35 ₱143

51.91%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.78 ₱47.27

106.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.40 ₱24.12

187.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.34 ₱81.5

135.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.08 ₱127

133.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.28 ₱138

-25.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.21 ₱73.5

118.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$0.94 ₱56.8

102.13%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.09 ₱127

21.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$7.81 ₱474

29.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.00 ₱303

65.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$7.63 ₱463

51.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.87 ₱174

5.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.53 ₱92.7

11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.67 ₱162

-23.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.55 ₱93.9

32.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$2.23 ₱135

-7.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.58 ₱157

-15.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.12 ₱67.9

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.77 ₱46.57

45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.91 ₱176

47.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$8.03 ₱487

91.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.21 ₱73.6

38.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.96 ₱119

88.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.26 ₱15.74

46.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.81 ₱49.48

70.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.22 ₱13.35

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$2.09 ₱127

159.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.10 ₱67.0

16.36%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$26.8K ₱1.6M

-29.24%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

13.45%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$115 ₱6,958

-64.20%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$32.67 ₱1,984

-17.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$27.08 ₱1,644

9.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$33.54 ₱2,036

56.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$4.48 ₱272

485.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$6.08 ₱369

1.64%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$151 ₱9,167

182.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$4,286 ₱260.3K

149.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$46.56 ₱2,827

22.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$26.49 ₱1,608

69.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$76.6 ₱4,653

36.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$53.6 ₱3,257

97.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$269 ₱16.4K

269.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$180 ₱10.9K

245.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$595 ₱36.1K

257.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$401 ₱24.4K

212.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,494 ₱151.4K

56.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$993 ₱60.3K

111.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$200 ₱12.1K

454.26%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Iligan City: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $269 in Iligan City. 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 454% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $17.00 in Iligan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $212 – making Iligan City 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 Iligan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City, $792 in Iligan City – roughly 83% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,189 in Iligan City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City and $17.00 in Iligan City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Iligan City, where all-in costs run around $792, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Iligan City 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 $792 in Iligan City to $1,447 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Iligan City. 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.