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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $695 in Iloilo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,054 in Iloilo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,413 in Iloilo, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 114% more than Iloilo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Iloilo is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$2.69 ₱166

382.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$21.66 ₱1,336

145.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$3.50 ₱216

177.71%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.00 ₱124

87.50%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.57 ₱35.42

175.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.32 ₱19.77

253.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$0.94 ₱57.8

238.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$1.75 ₱108

166.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.80 ₱111

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.21 ₱74.7

123.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$0.89 ₱55.1

111.24%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.24 ₱138

12.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$5.80 ₱358

73.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.19 ₱259

97.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$7.05 ₱435

69.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$3.72 ₱229

-23.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.19 ₱73.2

47.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$3.31 ₱204

-37.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.60 ₱98.9

23.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$2.55 ₱157

-15.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$3.05 ₱188

-28.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.69 ₱104

-17.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.90 ₱55.6

24.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$3.10 ₱191

35.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$5.70 ₱351

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.29 ₱79.7

36.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.45 ₱89.4

153.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.23 ₱14.18

69.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$5.11 ₱315

265.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.68 ₱42.18

104.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.31 ₱19.39

-3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$2.60 ₱160

108.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.13 ₱69.7

19.47%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$24.4K ₱1.5M

-22.55%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$19.3K ₱1.2M

19.66%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$66.7 ₱4,115

-38.82%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$31.70 ₱1,955

-13.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$29.55 ₱1,823

2.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$26.75 ₱1,650

99.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$5.42 ₱335

15.68%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$35.20 ₱2,171

1138.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$4,394 ₱271.0K

138.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$45.02 ₱2,777

26.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$23.36 ₱1,441

91.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$62.8 ₱3,875

63.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$26.69 ₱1,646

304.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$233 ₱14.3K

329.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$177 ₱10.9K

251.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$350 ₱21.6K

510.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$286 ₱17.6K

332.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$3,857 ₱237.9K

0.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$1,051 ₱64.8K

121.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$207 ₱12.8K

416.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

41.75%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Iloilo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $233 in Iloilo. 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 416% 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 $22.00 in Iloilo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $201 – making Iloilo 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 Iloilo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 114%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,042 in Iloilo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Iloilo, 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 $22.00 in Iloilo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,484 in Mexico City and $695 in Iloilo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Iloilo, where all-in costs run around $695, than in Mexico City at $1,484. In Iloilo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Iloilo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Iloilo. 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.