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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $632 in Mambajao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,001 in Mambajao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,370 in Mambajao, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 132% more than Mambajao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Mambajao is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$1.55 ₱95.6

750.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$26.49 ₱1,634

103.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.41 ₱272

113.61%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$3.04 ₱187

16.78%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.41 ₱86.9

14.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.77 ₱47.77

44.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.12 ₱69.2

178.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.72 ₱168

70.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.33 ₱82.0

27.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.91 ₱55.9

198.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$0.88 ₱54.1

117.05%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.41 ₱87.0

80.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$7.94 ₱490

26.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.21 ₱260

92.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$6.56 ₱405

77.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.98 ₱184

-0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.35 ₱83.0

34.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$2.71 ₱167

-25.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.59 ₱98.3

27.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$2.39 ₱147

-11.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$2.60 ₱161

-12.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.12 ₱68.9

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.72 ₱44.64

56.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$2.91 ₱180

46.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$8.16 ₱503

90.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.07 ₱66.2

64.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.30 ₱80.3

176.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.20 ₱12.31

90.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.82 ₱50.4

68.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.22 ₱13.52

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$2.17 ₱134

151.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.41 ₱86.8

-7.80%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$27.1K ₱1.7M

-31.03%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$20.2K ₱1.2M

14.61%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$84.0 ₱5,181

-51.37%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$32.13 ₱1,981

-16.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$22.09 ₱1,362

35.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$33.64 ₱2,074

54.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$4.49 ₱277

497.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$5.87 ₱362

7.33%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$150 ₱9,227

191.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$4,285 ₱264.2K

143.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$45.28 ₱2,792

25.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$26.22 ₱1,617

69.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$75.4 ₱4,648

36.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$53.3 ₱3,284

98.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$132 ₱8,138

674.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$87.0 ₱5,363

625.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$293 ₱18.1K

627.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$191 ₱11.8K

550.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$2,460 ₱151.7K

58.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$885 ₱54.6K

133.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$154 ₱9,498

623.87%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mambajao: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $132 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 624% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $26.00 in Mambajao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $188 – 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 132% more than Mambajao, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $948 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 $1,467 in Mexico City and $632 in Mambajao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $150 in Mambajao. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mambajao, where all-in costs run around $632, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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 $632 versus $1,467 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.