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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $719 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,097 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,476 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 106% more than Island Garden City of Samal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Island Garden City of Samal is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$226

$1.31 ₱80.2

890.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$923

$12.51 ₱765

324.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$169

$4.47 ₱274

117.45%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.2

$2.13 ₱131

76.06%

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

$1.57 MX$27.30

$0.81 ₱49.69

93.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.64

$0.53 ₱32.45

113.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.3

$1.45 ₱88.8

119.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.1

$1.82 ₱111

156.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.21

$1.21 ₱74.3

33.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.09

$0.60 ₱36.60

351.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.70

$0.69 ₱42.18

172.46%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.65

$2.05 ₱126

22.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$175

$5.88 ₱360

71.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$3.25 ₱199

155.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$208

$5.27 ₱323

126.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.77

$2.89 ₱177

-1.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.45

$1.13 ₱69.4

54.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.27

$2.29 ₱140

-9.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.27

$1.27 ₱77.6

55.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.58

$2.30 ₱141

-6.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.94

$1.58 ₱96.4

37.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.20

$0.90 ₱55.3

54.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.57

$0.50 ₱30.46

124.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.1

$2.63 ₱161

59.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$248

$8.18 ₱500

74.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.68

$1.24 ₱76.0

41.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.1

$1.22 ₱74.5

201.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.71

$0.28 ₱17.21

39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.12

$0.69 ₱42.16

101.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.29

$0.09 ₱5.78

233.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.3

$2.17 ₱132

149.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.50

$1.15 ₱70.1

17.39%

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

$18.9K MX$328.6K

$21.9K ₱1.3M

-13.97%

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

$23.2K MX$402.8K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

11.45%

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

$40.82 MX$710

$100 ₱6,125

-59.23%

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

$27.50 MX$479

$34.22 ₱2,094

-19.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$529

$36.41 ₱2,227

-16.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$930

$34.49 ₱2,110

54.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$458

$4.36 ₱267

503.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$109

$4.39 ₱268

42.82%

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

$436 MX$7,588

$120 ₱7,321

264.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.1K

$4,354 ₱266.4K

140.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$988

$46.40 ₱2,839

22.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$779

$29.67 ₱1,815

50.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,789

$76.4 ₱4,672

34.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$69.2 ₱4,235

55.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.4K

$262 ₱16.0K

281.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.8K

$176 ₱10.8K

252.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.2K

$595 ₱36.4K

259.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.5K

$402 ₱24.6K

207.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.3K

$2,083 ₱127.5K

85.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.56

18.62%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $262 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $13.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $160 – 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 106% 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 $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,078 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City and $13.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 78% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Island Garden City of Samal, where all-in costs run around $719, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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 $719 versus $1,484 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.