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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $743 in Imus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,140 in Imus, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $1,537 in Imus, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 98% more than Imus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Imus is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$4.33 ₱265

203.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$20.90 ₱1,279

156.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$3.16 ₱193

195.25%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.94 ₱180

25.85%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.88 ₱53.7

81.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.34 ₱21.02

229.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.27 ₱77.5

147.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.71 ₱166

78.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$2.08 ₱127

-20.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.20 ₱73.3

125.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$0.94 ₱57.8

103.19%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.94 ₱119

33.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$7.04 ₱431

39.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$4.29 ₱262

96.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$7.32 ₱448

62.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.37 ₱145

24.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.58 ₱96.5

10.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$2.96 ₱181

-31.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.71 ₱105

20.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.73 ₱106

24.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$3.62 ₱222

-37.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$1.64 ₱100

-15.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.83 ₱50.9

34.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$3.26 ₱200

29.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$9.12 ₱558

92.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.33 ₱81.5

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$1.98 ₱121

83.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.42 ₱25.74

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.81 ₱49.65

70.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.24 ₱14.71

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$2.07 ₱127

155.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.15 ₱70.5

18.26%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$25.6K ₱1.6M

-25.28%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$17.5K ₱1.1M

34.76%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$127 ₱7,750

-67.99%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$33.18 ₱2,031

-17.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$26.98 ₱1,651

12.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$33.35 ₱2,042

56.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$4.33 ₱265

511.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$6.93 ₱424

-10.68%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$81.7 ₱5,001

420.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$4,391 ₱268.8K

144.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$32.25 ₱1,974

80.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$30.09 ₱1,842

48.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$68.7 ₱4,207

50.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$93.7 ₱5,737

16.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$133 ₱8,127

663.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$111 ₱6,792

461.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$220 ₱13.4K

865.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$188 ₱11.5K

551.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$2,098 ₱128.4K

80.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$984 ₱60.3K

114.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$179 ₱11.0K

487.80%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Imus: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $133 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 488% 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 $21.00 in Imus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 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: $1,472 in Mexico City, $743 in Imus – roughly 98% 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 $1,114 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 $54.0 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 41% 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 $743, than in Mexico City at $1,472. 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 $743 in Imus to $1,472 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.