Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Island Garden City of Samal Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Island Garden City of Samal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $716 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,102 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $1,488 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 132% more than Island Garden City of Samal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Island Garden City of Samal is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$1.22 ₱77.0

877.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$17.00 ₱1,068

203.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$3.93 ₱247

190.33%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$2.14 ₱134

86.45%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$1.04 ₱65.6

59.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.67 ₱42.37

98.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$1.12 ₱70.1

209.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$1.91 ₱120

208.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$2.00 ₱126

-6.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$1.09 ₱68.6

198.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$0.85 ₱53.2

154.12%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$1.88 ₱118

54.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$6.61 ₱415

94.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.19 ₱263

139.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$8.39 ₱527

89.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$2.67 ₱168

23.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$1.11 ₱69.8

81.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.17 ₱137

1.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$1.16 ₱72.6

103.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$2.08 ₱131

-1.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$3.56 ₱224

-46.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$1.23 ₱77.1

30.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.70 ₱44.27

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$2.53 ₱159

115.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$7.87 ₱495

124.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$1.24 ₱78.1

66.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$1.57 ₱98.9

198.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.29 ₱18.53

17.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

$10.34 ₱649

101.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.78 ₱48.84

169.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.23 ₱14.35

143.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$1.96 ₱123

196.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.17 ₱73.6

37.61%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$21.4K ₱1.3M

6.65%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$19.2K ₱1.2M

39.67%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$101 ₱6,347

-35.48%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$19.15 ₱1,203

57.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$31.83 ₱2,000

16.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$32.81 ₱2,061

82.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

$4.23 ₱266

527.66%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.70 ₱295

49.79%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$109 ₱6,846

326.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$7,658 ₱481.1K

73.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$31.98 ₱2,009

137.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$19.21 ₱1,207

191.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$72.0 ₱4,524

55.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$61.1 ₱3,840

97.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$252 ₱15.8K

337.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$155 ₱9,707

366.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$565 ₱35.5K

347.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$300 ₱18.8K

331.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

$2,863 ₱179.9K

39.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,092 ₱68.6K

91.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

8.31

35.98%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $252 in Island Garden City of Samal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $17.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $194 – making Island Garden City of Samal 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 Island Garden City of Samal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 132% more than Island Garden City of Samal, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,074 in Island Garden City of Samal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Island Garden City of Samal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,660 in Mexico City and $716 in Island Garden City of Samal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 101% less in Island Garden City of Samal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Island Garden City of Samal, where all-in costs run around $716, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Island Garden City of Samal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Island Garden City of Samal costs $716 versus $1,660 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Island Garden City of Samal. 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.