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: $1,682 in Mexico City versus $1,198 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,599 in Mexico City versus $2,052 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,516 in Mexico City versus $2,907 in Makati.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 40% more expensive than in Makati, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 23% above, Makati is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$6.42 ₱396

84.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$40.95 ₱2,524

27.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$4.63 ₱286

134.77%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$2.65 ₱163

52.08%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$1.09 ₱67.4

56.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$0.52 ₱32.31

157.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.45 ₱151

38.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$3.18 ₱196

80.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$1.88 ₱116

0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.31 ₱81.0

141.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$1.08 ₱66.6

89.81%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$2.26 ₱139

33.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$7.42 ₱457

69.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$5.09 ₱314

95.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$7.16 ₱442

123.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$4.11 ₱253

-20.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$1.94 ₱120

6.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$2.39 ₱147

-12.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$1.98 ₱122

26.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$2.99 ₱184

-31.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$3.48 ₱215

-46.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$1.11 ₱68.2

41.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$1.13 ₱69.9

23.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$2.60 ₱160

106.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

$7.92 ₱488

126.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$1.36 ₱83.8

48.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$2.02 ₱124

135.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

$0.94 ₱58.1

-61.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

$58.5 ₱3,605

-64.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$0.67 ₱41.17

207.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

$0.22 ₱13.49

154.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

$1.91 ₱118

204.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$1.26 ₱77.7

22.22%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$22.1K ₱1.4M

1.81%

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$19.7K ₱1.2M

34.10%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$153 ₱9,453

-56.98%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$16.87 ₱1,040

83.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$30.74 ₱1,895

17.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$56.6 ₱3,491

1.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

$14.41 ₱888

85.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$7.34 ₱452

-2.86%

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

$457 MX$7,738

$822 ₱50.7K

-44.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

$7,484 ₱461.4K

76.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$60.4 ₱3,723

25.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$37.93 ₱2,338

42.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$84.5 ₱5,209

37.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$106 ₱6,519

15.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$738 ₱45.5K

55.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

$388 ₱23.9K

86.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

$2,324 ₱143.2K

7.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

$1,081 ₱66.6K

23.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

$6,146 ₱378.9K

-36.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

$3,737 ₱230.4K

-42.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$611 ₱37.7K

74.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

7.5

51.33%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Makati: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Mexico City and $738 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 75% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $41.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $227 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 40% 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 75% 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: $1,147 in Mexico City versus $738 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,682 per month in Mexico City versus $1,198 in Makati – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Makati runs roughly 181% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,198 in Makati versus $1,682 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 $1,198 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 40% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.