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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $505 in Mambajao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $801 in Mambajao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $1,097 in Mambajao, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 228% more than Mambajao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Mambajao is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$1.33 ₱83.3

796.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$16.14 ₱1,014

219.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$3.27 ₱205

248.93%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$2.26 ₱142

76.55%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$0.42 ₱26.34

295.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.27 ₱16.82

392.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$1.01 ₱63.4

243.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$1.12 ₱70.5

426.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$0.84 ₱52.6

123.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$0.58 ₱36.75

460.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$0.71 ₱44.69

204.23%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$1.25 ₱78.8

132.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$5.66 ₱356

127.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.19 ₱263

139.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$5.54 ₱348

186.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$2.34 ₱147

40.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$1.64 ₱103

22.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.39 ₱150

-7.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$1.03 ₱64.5

129.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$1.24 ₱77.8

65.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$1.94 ₱122

-2.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$0.75 ₱46.96

114.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.56 ₱35.36

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$2.66 ₱167

105.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.11 ₱510

117.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$0.99 ₱62.1

108.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$1.18 ₱74.3

296.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.21 ₱13.08

61.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

$10.85 ₱682

91.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.71 ₱44.74

195.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.25 ₱15.91

124.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$1.74 ₱109

233.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.21 ₱76.2

33.06%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$24.1K ₱1.5M

-5.31%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$20.0K ₱1.3M

33.48%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$63.2 ₱3,972

3.10%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$15.57 ₱979

93.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$20.17 ₱1,267

84.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$27.25 ₱1,712

119.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

$4.54 ₱285

484.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.57 ₱287

54.05%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$144 ₱9,078

221.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$7,573 ₱475.8K

75.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$32.35 ₱2,033

134.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$21.79 ₱1,369

156.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$67.3 ₱4,225

66.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$49.23 ₱3,093

144.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$99.1 ₱6,228

1012.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$56.0 ₱3,520

1186.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$238 ₱14.9K

964.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$156 ₱9,806

728.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

$2,958 ₱185.8K

34.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$927 ₱58.2K

125.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$151 ₱9,461

588.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.75

67.41%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mambajao: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $99.1 in Mambajao. 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 589% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $16.00 in Mambajao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $154 – making Mambajao the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Mambajao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 228% more than Mambajao, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $758 in Mambajao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mambajao, 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 $1,660 in Mexico City and $505 in Mambajao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 92% less in Mambajao. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mambajao, where all-in costs run around $505, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Mambajao 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. Mambajao costs $505 versus $1,660 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mambajao. 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.