Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Makati

For one person, living is cheaper in Makati: $1,257 a month against $1,561 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Makati
Learn more

Makati Living Index

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Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,561

/mo nomad

Makati

🇵🇭 Philippines

$1,257

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Makati actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,561 in Mexico City versus $1,257 in Makati.

Mexico City $1,561
Makati $1,257

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,440 in Mexico City versus $2,052 in Makati.

Mexico City $2,440
Makati $2,052

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,319 in Mexico City versus $2,847 in Makati.

Mexico City $3,319
Makati $2,847

Living in Mexico City is roughly 24% more expensive than in Makati, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 16% above, Makati is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.12 MX$204

$6.56 ₱411

69.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.99 MX$900

$40.13 ₱2,517

22.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 MX$206

$4.75 ₱298

136.42%

Cappuccino

$3.76 MX$69.0

$2.65 ₱166

41.89%

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

$1.65 MX$30.34

$1.08 ₱67.6

52.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$23.48

$0.50 ₱31.47

156.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MX$59.8

$2.44 ₱153

33.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 MX$104

$3.10 ₱195

82.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$33.23

$1.83 ₱115

-1.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 MX$54.0

$1.24 ₱77.7

137.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$37.62

$1.01 ₱63.5

102.97%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$53.7

$2.37 ₱148

23.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 MX$219

$7.35 ₱461

62.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 MX$175

$4.91 ₱308

93.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 MX$273

$6.81 ₱427

117.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 MX$57.7

$4.09 ₱257

-23.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.99

$2.00 ₱125

0.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$38.10

$3.27 ₱205

-36.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 MX$40.72

$2.29 ₱144

-3.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$37.82

$3.59 ₱225

-42.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 MX$34.46

$3.45 ₱216

-45.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$27.18

$1.07 ₱67.0

38.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$24.70

$1.11 ₱69.7

21.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 MX$99.3

$2.66 ₱167

103.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.86 MX$310

$8.01 ₱502

110.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$36.43

$1.35 ₱84.5

46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 MX$79.4

$1.98 ₱124

118.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.33

$0.99 ₱61.9

-65.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.23 MX$371

$57.4 ₱3,599

-64.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$38.47

$0.66 ₱41.39

218.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.74

$0.23 ₱14.46

130.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$99.3

$1.88 ₱118

187.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$27.91

$1.26 ₱79.0

20.63%

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

$21.7K MX$399.0K

$21.5K ₱1.3M

1.21%

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

$24.8K MX$455.6K

$19.8K ₱1.2M

25.28%

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

$63.0 MX$1,156

$155 ₱9,726

-59.39%

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

$28.88 MX$530

$15.90 ₱997

81.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.93 MX$623

$32.67 ₱2,049

3.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 MX$1,024

$55.4 ₱3,473

0.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.90 MX$457

$14.51 ₱910

71.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 MX$124

$6.98 ₱438

-3.01%

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

$428 MX$7,854

$783 ₱49.1K

-45.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K MX$218.0K

$7,340 ₱460.4K

61.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 MX$1,286

$59.6 ₱3,738

17.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 MX$986

$37.48 ₱2,351

43.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MX$2,016

$82.5 ₱5,171

33.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MX$2,115

$102 ₱6,383

13.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 MX$19.5K

$828 ₱51.9K

28.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 MX$12.3K

$416 ₱26.1K

61.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,379 MX$43.7K

$2,318 ₱145.4K

2.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 MX$23.1K

$1,067 ₱66.9K

18.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,716 MX$68.2K

$6,082 ₱381.5K

-38.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 MX$36.3K

$3,765 ₱236.1K

-47.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$997 MX$18.3K

$616 ₱38.6K

61.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

7.5

50.67%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 6, 2026

Last update for Makati: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$671 42.4%

Makati

$416 33.8% 37.9% $254

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$327 20.7%

Makati

$230 18.7% 29.5% $97

Eating Out

Mexico City

$207 13.1%

Makati

$123 10% 40.5% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$157 9.9%

Makati

$127 10.3% 19.3% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 8%

Makati

$204 16.5% 61.9% $78

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$69 4.4%

Makati

$69 5.6% 0% $0

Getting Around

Mexico City

$26 1.7%

Makati

$63 5.1% 140% $37

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Mexico City and $828 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 62% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $49.00 in Mexico City vs $40.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $230 per month, with Makati cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇵🇭 Makati

🕒 Local time

07:06 7:06 AM

21:06 9:06 PM

14 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

582,602

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.45 USD

100 MXN = 4.86 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.28 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mexico City Makati 14,220 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Makati

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 Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makati wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Makati the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 62% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Mexico City versus $828 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,561 per month in Mexico City versus $1,257 in Makati – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Makati runs roughly 184% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,257 in Makati versus $1,561 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Makati but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Makati the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Makati delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,257 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Makati hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Makati are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Makati gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.