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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $791 in Iligan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,217 in Iligan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,643 in Iligan City, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 88% more than Iligan City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% 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$226

$3.44 ₱211

277.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$923

$17.64 ₱1,079

200.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$169

$3.40 ₱208

185.88%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.2

$2.38 ₱145

57.56%

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

$1.57 MX$27.30

$0.79 ₱48.08

98.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.64

$0.39 ₱23.90

189.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.3

$1.31 ₱80.4

142.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.1

$2.17 ₱133

114.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.21

$2.24 ₱137

-27.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.09

$1.22 ₱74.6

122.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.70

$0.99 ₱60.4

89.90%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.65

$2.08 ₱128

20.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$175

$7.88 ₱482

27.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$5.01 ₱307

65.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$208

$7.64 ₱467

56.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.77

$2.90 ₱178

-1.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.45

$1.52 ₱92.7

15.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.27

$2.73 ₱167

-23.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.27

$1.57 ₱95.8

25.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.58

$2.32 ₱142

-6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.94

$2.51 ₱153

-13.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.20

$1.12 ₱68.5

24.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.57

$0.72 ₱44.17

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.1

$2.88 ₱176

45.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$248

$8.32 ₱509

71.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.68

$1.20 ₱73.7

46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.1

$2.02 ₱124

82.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.71

$0.26 ₱15.79

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.12

$0.82 ₱50.3

69.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.29

$0.24 ₱14.77

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.3

$2.19 ₱134

147.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.50

$1.10 ₱67.0

22.73%

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

$18.9K MX$328.6K

$26.4K ₱1.6M

-28.39%

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

$23.2K MX$402.8K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

11.78%

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

$40.82 MX$710

$112 ₱6,838

-63.48%

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

$27.50 MX$479

$32.67 ₱1,999

-15.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$529

$27.33 ₱1,672

11.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$930

$33.68 ₱2,061

58.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$458

$4.39 ₱269

499.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$109

$5.97 ₱365

5.03%

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

$436 MX$7,588

$152 ₱9,310

186.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.1K

$4,317 ₱264.1K

142.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$988

$45.59 ₱2,789

24.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$779

$26.25 ₱1,606

70.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,789

$74.5 ₱4,557

38.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$54.2 ₱3,316

99.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.4K

$270 ₱16.5K

270.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.8K

$178 ₱10.9K

247.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.2K

$581 ₱35.5K

267.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.5K

$395 ₱24.2K

212.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.3K

$2,220 ₱135.8K

74.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.6K

$203 ₱12.4K

425.65%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Iligan City: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $270 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 426% 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 $18.00 in Iligan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $213 – 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: $1,484 in Mexico City, $791 in Iligan City – roughly 88% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,186 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 $18.00 in Iligan City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $791, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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 $791 in Iligan City to $1,484 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.