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 $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $749 in Imus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,143 in Imus, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $1,536 in Imus, rent included.

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

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Imus is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$4.55 ₱276

185.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$21.41 ₱1,300

145.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.13 ₱190

201.28%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.85 ₱173

25.26%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.82 ₱49.82

96.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.37 ₱22.47

210.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.27 ₱77.2

148.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.64 ₱160

84.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.10 ₱128

-19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.26 ₱76.4

109.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$0.94 ₱56.9

102.13%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.95 ₱118

30.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$7.13 ₱433

41.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.37 ₱266

89.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$6.98 ₱424

65.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.29 ₱139

32.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.51 ₱92.0

13.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$3.02 ₱184

-32.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.63 ₱99.2

26.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.74 ₱106

18.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$3.47 ₱211

-37.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.59 ₱96.4

-11.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.82 ₱49.81

36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$3.10 ₱189

38.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$9.08 ₱551

69.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.40 ₱85.2

19.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.96 ₱119

88.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.43 ₱25.95

-11.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.84 ₱50.9

64.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.24 ₱14.65

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$2.19 ₱133

147.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.11 ₱67.5

15.32%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$25.7K ₱1.6M

-26.10%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$17.8K ₱1.1M

31.89%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$127 ₱7,720

-67.74%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$32.32 ₱1,962

-16.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$27.03 ₱1,641

9.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$33.48 ₱2,033

56.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$4.55 ₱276

476.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$7.00 ₱425

-11.71%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$82.1 ₱4,986

420.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$4,263 ₱258.9K

150.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$32.41 ₱1,968

75.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$29.40 ₱1,785

52.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$68.4 ₱4,156

52.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$92.8 ₱5,633

14.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$134 ₱8,138

642.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$112 ₱6,776

456.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$217 ₱13.2K

877.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$188 ₱11.4K

565.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,740 ₱166.4K

42.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$962 ₱58.4K

117.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$178 ₱10.8K

522.93%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Imus: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 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 523% 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: $288 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: $1,447 in Mexico City, $749 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 $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,124 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 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 Imus, where all-in costs run around $749, than in Mexico City at $1,447. 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 $749 in Imus to $1,447 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.