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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $770 in Iligan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,205 in Iligan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $1,641 in Iligan City, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 91% more than Iligan City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Iligan City is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$3.44 ₱211

281.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$17.46 ₱1,069

206.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$3.34 ₱204

179.34%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.39 ₱147

54.81%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.78 ₱47.84

105.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.36 ₱22.24

211.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.32 ₱80.6

137.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.18 ₱134

122.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$2.19 ₱134

-24.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.22 ₱74.9

122.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$0.94 ₱57.5

103.19%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.01 ₱123

28.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$7.98 ₱488

22.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$4.92 ₱301

71.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$7.64 ₱468

56.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.88 ₱176

2.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.53 ₱93.4

13.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$2.61 ₱160

-21.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.55 ₱94.7

32.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$2.27 ₱139

-5.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$2.55 ₱156

-11.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$1.07 ₱65.4

29.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.77 ₱47.42

45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.77 ₱170

52.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$8.07 ₱494

116.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.21 ₱74.2

41.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$1.99 ₱122

82.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.28 ₱17.15

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.82 ₱50.4

68.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.22 ₱13.40

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$2.08 ₱127

153.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.09 ₱66.6

24.77%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$26.2K ₱1.6M

-27.01%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$20.1K ₱1.2M

17.22%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$110 ₱6,763

-63.31%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$33.32 ₱2,039

-17.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$27.79 ₱1,701

9.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$34.32 ₱2,101

52.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$4.41 ₱270

500.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$5.99 ₱367

3.34%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$151 ₱9,246

181.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$4,325 ₱264.8K

148.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$45.07 ₱2,759

29.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$26.22 ₱1,605

69.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$75.8 ₱4,642

36.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$52.4 ₱3,209

107.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$263 ₱16.1K

285.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$177 ₱10.8K

251.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$578 ₱35.4K

266.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$392 ₱24.0K

212.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$2,407 ₱147.3K

57.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$967 ₱59.2K

118.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$199 ₱12.2K

427.61%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Iligan City: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $263 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 428% 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 $17.00 in Iligan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $211 – 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: $1,472 in Mexico City, $770 in Iligan City – roughly 91% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $1,154 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 $54.0 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 39% 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 $770, than in Mexico City at $1,472. 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 $770 in Iligan City to $1,472 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.