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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $850 in Mandaluyong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,329 in Mandaluyong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,808 in Mandaluyong.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 73% more expensive than in Mandaluyong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Mandaluyong is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$5.21 ₱319

152.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$17.53 ₱1,073

205.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$3.22 ₱197

189.75%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.34 ₱143

58.12%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.91 ₱55.7

75.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.50 ₱30.68

124.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.50 ₱91.8

109.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.74 ₱168

77.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.84 ₱113

-10.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.35 ₱82.8

100.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.07 ₱65.3

78.50%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.26 ₱138

14.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$9.12 ₱558

7.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$5.31 ₱325

58.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$8.41 ₱515

41.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.53 ₱216

-16.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.84 ₱113

-5.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$3.61 ₱221

-43.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$2.51 ₱154

-17.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$2.83 ₱173

-24.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$3.05 ₱187

-25.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.69 ₱42.21

101.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.65 ₱40.06

72.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$3.25 ₱199

29.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$8.93 ₱546

96.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.49 ₱91.5

14.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.23 ₱136

62.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.34 ₱20.66

2.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.92 ₱56.3

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.27 ₱16.56

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$2.15 ₱132

145.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.16 ₱71.0

17.24%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$26.4K ₱1.6M

-27.77%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$20.2K ₱1.2M

16.60%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$136 ₱8,348

-70.28%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$34.66 ₱2,122

-21.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$26.33 ₱1,612

15.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$33.70 ₱2,063

54.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$4.39 ₱268

503.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$6.56 ₱401

-5.64%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$154 ₱9,440

175.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$4,703 ₱287.9K

128.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$46.04 ₱2,819

26.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$35.00 ₱2,142

27.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$76.1 ₱4,656

36.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$46.96 ₱2,875

131.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$537 ₱32.8K

88.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$178 ₱10.9K

250.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$593 ₱36.3K

257.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$390 ₱23.9K

213.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$2,858 ₱174.9K

32.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$593 ₱36.3K

77.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.5

152.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Mandaluyong: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $537 in Mandaluyong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 78% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $18.00 in Mandaluyong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $235 per month, with Mandaluyong 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 Mandaluyong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Mandaluyong differ by about 73% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $850 including rent). Mandaluyong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 78% 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $537 in Mandaluyong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $154 in Mandaluyong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mandaluyong – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $850 in Mandaluyong versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mandaluyong but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Mandaluyong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Mandaluyong 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 Mandaluyong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.