Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Laoag City

For one person, living is cheaper in Laoag City: $731 a month against $1,548 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
Learn more

Mexico City Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Laoag City
Learn more

Laoag City Living Index

Jump to prices

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,548

/mo nomad

Laoag City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$731

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Laoag City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Laoag City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,548 per month in Mexico City vs $731 in Laoag City, rent included.

Mexico City $1,548
Laoag City $731

A couple spends around $2,436 per month in Mexico City vs $1,115 in Laoag City, rent included.

Mexico City $2,436
Laoag City $1,115

A family of three spends $3,323 per month in Mexico City vs $1,499 in Laoag City, rent included.

Mexico City $3,323
Laoag City $1,499

Mexico City costs about 112% more than Laoag City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mexico City sits 14% above the global median, while Laoag City is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 MX$204

$3.95 ₱248

178.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.68 MX$900

$16.45 ₱1,035

195.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$201

$2.74 ₱173

297.81%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.1

$2.28 ₱143

61.40%

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

$1.63 MX$30.18

$0.65 ₱41.08

150.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 MX$23.07

$0.33 ₱20.90

278.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$60.1

$1.16 ₱73.3

180.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 MX$102

$1.91 ₱120

189.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$31.50

$1.69 ₱107

0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 MX$55.8

$1.16 ₱72.9

160.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.53

$0.97 ₱61.2

97.94%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$50.5

$1.93 ₱122

41.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.77 MX$218

$5.63 ₱355

109.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 MX$176

$4.07 ₱256

134.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 MX$266

$6.89 ₱434

109.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$55.8

$2.42 ₱152

24.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.01

$1.61 ₱101

17.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$36.70

$2.36 ₱148

-15.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$40.38

$1.18 ₱74.4

85.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.43

$1.93 ₱122

-0.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$34.49

$1.91 ₱120

-2.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MX$26.62

$0.92 ₱58.2

56.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.39

$0.53 ₱33.64

139.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 MX$96.4

$2.89 ₱182

80.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.17 MX$299

$7.66 ₱482

111.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 MX$35.03

$0.93 ₱58.8

104.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MX$78.0

$1.94 ₱122

117.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.30

$0.26 ₱16.50

30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.65 MX$363

$11.25 ₱709

74.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MX$36.90

$0.79 ₱50.0

153.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MX$9.67

$0.22 ₱13.85

136.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 MX$98.7

$1.95 ₱123

173.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$28.13

$0.97 ₱60.8

56.70%

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

$22.1K MX$408.0K

$21.5K ₱1.4M

2.56%

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

$24.5K MX$452.9K

$19.5K ₱1.2M

25.61%

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

$61.1 MX$1,129

$122 ₱7,674

-49.90%

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

$28.58 MX$528

$15.30 ₱963

86.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.47 MX$637

$24.16 ₱1,521

42.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 MX$1,042

$32.19 ₱2,027

75.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.88 MX$460

$4.68 ₱295

431.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 MX$123

$5.29 ₱333

25.90%

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

$427 MX$7,891

$134 ₱8,463

217.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K MX$215.0K

$7,879 ₱496.1K

47.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 MX$1,253

$33.37 ₱2,101

103.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 MX$960

$19.56 ₱1,231

165.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MX$1,959

$71.8 ₱4,519

47.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MX$2,080

$55.9 ₱3,521

101.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 MX$18.9K

$267 ₱16.8K

283.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 MX$12.1K

$172 ₱10.8K

281.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,308 MX$42.7K

$521 ₱32.8K

343.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 MX$22.9K

$361 ₱22.7K

244.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,613 MX$66.8K

$2,415 ₱152.1K

49.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,936 MX$35.8K

$1,009 ₱63.5K

91.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$964 MX$17.8K

$162 ₱10.2K

494.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.79

66.42%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Laoag City: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$654 42.3%

Laoag City

$172 23.5% 73.8% $483

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$318 20.6%

Laoag City

$179 24.5% 43.8% $139

Eating Out

Mexico City

$204 13.2%

Laoag City

$81 11.1% 60.4% $123

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$152 9.8%

Laoag City

$81 11.1% 46.6% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$124 8%

Laoag City

$161 22.1% 30% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$70 4.5%

Laoag City

$43 5.9% 38.6% $27

Getting Around

Mexico City

$26 1.7%

Laoag City

$14 1.9% 44.6% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,025 in Mexico City versus $267 in Laoag City. 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 494% 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 $49.00 in Mexico City versus $16.00 in Laoag City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $179 – making Laoag City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇵🇭 Laoag City

🕒 Local time

07:31 7:31 AM

21:31 9:31 PM

14 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

112,117

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mexico City Laoag City 13,990 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Laoag City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Laoag City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 112% more than Laoag City, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,322 per month in Mexico City and $1,096 in Laoag City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Laoag City, 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 $1,548 in Mexico City and $731 in Laoag City. That's a gap of about 112%.

Public transport costs about 75% less in Laoag City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Laoag City, where all-in costs run around $731, than in Mexico City at $1,548. In Laoag City 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. Laoag City costs $731 versus $1,548 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Laoag City. 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.