Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Makati Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Makati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,186 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $2,004 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,822 in Makati.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 22% more expensive than Makati, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Makati is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$6.83 ₱415

90.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$44.54 ₱2,705

18.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$4.88 ₱296

93.24%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.87 ₱174

24.39%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.16 ₱70.4

38.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.53 ₱32.32

116.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.44 ₱148

29.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.48 ₱211

39.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.12 ₱129

-19.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.51 ₱91.4

74.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.12 ₱67.7

69.64%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.25 ₱137

12.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$8.04 ₱488

25.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.42 ₱269

87.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$7.81 ₱474

48.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$4.51 ₱274

-32.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.91 ₱116

-10.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.72 ₱165

-24.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$2.19 ₱133

-5.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$3.26 ₱198

-36.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.93 ₱178

-25.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.10 ₱66.6

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.99 ₱60.1

13.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.85 ₱173

50.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$8.27 ₱502

86.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.18 ₱71.9

41.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.33 ₱141

58.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.51 ₱30.91

-25.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$3.49 ₱212

446.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.77 ₱46.80

79.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.13 ₱7.76

115.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$3.64 ₱221

48.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.15 ₱69.7

11.30%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$33.6K ₱2.0M

-43.49%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$22.1K ₱1.3M

6.36%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$168 ₱10.2K

-75.64%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$27.62 ₱1,677

-2.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$36.63 ₱2,224

-18.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$56.5 ₱3,428

-7.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$11.69 ₱710

124.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$7.76 ₱471

-20.36%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$320 ₱19.4K

33.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$7,666 ₱465.5K

39.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$58.5 ₱3,554

-2.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$35.71 ₱2,169

25.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$86.2 ₱5,231

21.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$125 ₱7,609

-15.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$660 ₱40.1K

50.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$394 ₱23.9K

57.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$2,263 ₱137.4K

-6.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$1,009 ₱61.2K

24.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$6,121 ₱371.7K

-36.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$3,737 ₱226.9K

-43.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$693 ₱42.1K

59.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.67

70.01%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Makati: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $660 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 60% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $45.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $234 per month, with Makati cheaper across the board.

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 22% 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.

Mexico City pays 60% more on average, 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $660 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $1,186 in Makati – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Makati runs roughly 446% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,186 in Makati versus $1,447 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 $1,186 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 22% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.