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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $771 in Imus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,135 in Imus, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,500 in Imus, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 93% more than Imus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$4.50 ₱278

188.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$21.45 ₱1,323

147.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$3.16 ₱195

207.59%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.96 ₱183

26.69%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.87 ₱53.9

80.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.37 ₱22.97

205.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.22 ₱75.0

160.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.71 ₱167

71.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.07 ₱128

-21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.26 ₱78.0

115.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.01 ₱62.2

86.14%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.02 ₱125

24.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$7.09 ₱437

42.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.13 ₱255

100.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$7.10 ₱438

68.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.32 ₱143

23.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.53 ₱94.3

14.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.91 ₱180

-28.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.66 ₱102

18.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.74 ₱107

24.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$3.51 ₱216

-37.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.64 ₱101

-15.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.88 ₱54.3

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$3.18 ₱196

32.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$9.14 ₱564

55.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.33 ₱82.3

32.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$1.99 ₱123

84.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.46 ₱28.23

-15.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.83 ₱51.0

67.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.24 ₱14.85

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$2.12 ₱131

155.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.11 ₱68.4

21.62%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$25.6K ₱1.6M

-26.32%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$17.8K ₱1.1M

29.84%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$129 ₱7,975

-68.43%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$32.71 ₱2,018

-15.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$26.45 ₱1,631

14.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$34.39 ₱2,121

55.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$4.34 ₱268

505.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$7.05 ₱435

-11.06%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$81.9 ₱5,052

432.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$4,302 ₱265.3K

143.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$31.95 ₱1,971

77.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$29.51 ₱1,820

51.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$67.5 ₱4,166

52.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$95.7 ₱5,902

12.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$134 ₱8,293

643.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$109 ₱6,701

471.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$221 ₱13.6K

866.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$189 ₱11.7K

551.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$2,331 ₱143.8K

65.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$176 ₱10.8K

507.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.17

83.79%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Imus: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $134 in Imus. 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 508% 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 $21.00 in Imus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $208 – making Imus 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 Imus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City, $771 in Imus – roughly 93% 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 $1,156 in Imus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Imus, 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 $21.00 in Imus. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 Imus, where all-in costs run around $771, than in Mexico City at $1,484. In Imus 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 $771 in Imus to $1,484 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 Imus. 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.