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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $622 in Mambajao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,019 in Mambajao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,417 in Mambajao, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 134% more than Mambajao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Mambajao is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$1.54 ₱95.1

748.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$27.01 ₱1,663

99.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$4.38 ₱270

121.00%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$3.14 ₱193

19.11%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$1.33 ₱81.9

21.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.77 ₱47.46

50.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.14 ₱70.2

183.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.71 ₱167

74.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.27 ₱78.4

29.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.92 ₱56.5

198.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$0.89 ₱55.0

110.11%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.40 ₱86.0

78.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.20 ₱505

24.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$4.29 ₱264

92.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$6.33 ₱390

86.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$2.90 ₱178

3.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.35 ₱83.3

34.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$2.58 ₱159

-22.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.55 ₱95.6

29.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$2.37 ₱146

-12.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$2.60 ₱160

-12.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$1.08 ₱66.3

35.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.75 ₱46.26

44.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$2.77 ₱171

57.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$8.07 ₱497

110.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.12 ₱68.9

54.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$1.24 ₱76.2

188.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.22 ₱13.56

77.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$0.76 ₱46.97

75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.24 ₱14.79

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$2.10 ₱129

150.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.41 ₱86.8

-4.96%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$26.3K ₱1.6M

-26.10%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

16.79%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$85.4 ₱5,257

-52.35%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$32.83 ₱2,021

-18.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$22.08 ₱1,359

38.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$33.81 ₱2,081

56.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$4.51 ₱278

490.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$5.79 ₱357

12.44%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$154 ₱9,484

177.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$4,293 ₱264.3K

144.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$45.12 ₱2,778

26.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$26.21 ₱1,614

73.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$74.7 ₱4,601

39.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$53.0 ₱3,263

103.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$132 ₱8,112

661.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$87.0 ₱5,357

615.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$290 ₱17.8K

628.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$193 ₱11.9K

530.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$2,672 ₱164.5K

45.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$1,083 ₱66.6K

87.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$153 ₱9,436

577.10%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mambajao: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 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 577% 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 $27.00 in Mambajao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $187 – 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 134% 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 $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $933 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 $1,456 in Mexico City and $622 in Mambajao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City and $154 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 $622, than in Mexico City at $1,456. 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 $622 versus $1,456 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.