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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,204 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $2,023 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $2,841 in Makati.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 23% more expensive than Makati, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Makati is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$6.69 ₱412

94.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$44.22 ₱2,728

20.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$4.88 ₱301

99.18%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.93 ₱181

27.99%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$1.19 ₱73.7

31.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.56 ₱34.78

101.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$2.42 ₱150

31.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$3.62 ₱223

28.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.20 ₱136

-26.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.49 ₱92.0

81.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.07 ₱65.7

75.70%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.34 ₱144

7.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$8.19 ₱505

23.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.42 ₱273

87.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$7.71 ₱475

54.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$4.36 ₱269

-34.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$2.00 ₱123

-12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.57 ₱159

-19.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$2.23 ₱138

-11.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$3.45 ₱213

-37.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.86 ₱176

-23.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.14 ₱70.0

21.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.02 ₱62.7

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.84 ₱175

47.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$8.12 ₱501

75.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.25 ₱77.1

40.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.32 ₱143

58.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.54 ₱33.40

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$3.64 ₱225

412.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.78 ₱48.35

78.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.11 ₱6.49

172.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$3.65 ₱225

48.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.10 ₱67.9

22.73%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$33.4K ₱2.1M

-43.42%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$21.5K ₱1.3M

7.89%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$171 ₱10.5K

-76.08%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$26.96 ₱1,663

2.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$35.97 ₱2,219

-15.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$55.6 ₱3,430

-3.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$11.87 ₱732

121.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$8.19 ₱505

-23.44%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$322 ₱19.9K

35.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$7,811 ₱481.8K

34.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$58.8 ₱3,628

-3.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$35.76 ₱2,206

25.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$83.9 ₱5,174

22.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$123 ₱7,612

-12.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$667 ₱41.2K

49.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$403 ₱24.8K

54.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$2,307 ₱142.3K

-7.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$1,015 ₱62.6K

21.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$6,283 ₱387.5K

-38.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$3,903 ₱240.8K

-40.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$712 ₱43.9K

49.84%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Makati: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $667 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 50% 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 $44.00 in Makati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $236 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 23% 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 50% 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $667 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,484 per month in Mexico City versus $1,204 in Makati – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Makati runs roughly 413% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,204 in Makati versus $1,484 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 $1,204 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 23% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.