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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $957 in Manila, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,538 in Manila, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $2,118 in Manila, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 52% more than Manila, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Manila is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$5.28 ₱325

147.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$942

$27.12 ₱1,670

98.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$4.55 ₱280

112.75%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.5

$2.73 ₱168

37.00%

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

$1.62 MX$28.32

$0.96 ₱59.3

68.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.36

$0.50 ₱30.97

132.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.54 ₱94.7

109.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.65 ₱163

78.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.87

$1.90 ₱117

-13.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.26

$1.33 ₱82.0

106.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.84

$1.07 ₱66.1

74.77%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.82

$2.08 ₱128

20.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$9.28 ₱572

9.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$5.21 ₱321

58.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$8.55 ₱527

38.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.7

$3.54 ₱218

-14.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.75

$1.80 ₱111

0.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.04

$3.58 ₱221

-44.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.97

$2.50 ₱154

-20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.53

$2.78 ₱171

-25.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.82

$3.16 ₱194

-28.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.53

$1.98 ₱122

-26.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.86

$0.68 ₱42.17

58.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.2

$3.31 ₱204

31.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$9.50 ₱585

78.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.38

$1.46 ₱90.0

18.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.11 ₱130

69.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.48 ₱29.41

-18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

$12.15 ₱748

53.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.23

$0.88 ₱54.0

51.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.90

$0.27 ₱16.66

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$2.08 ₱128

152.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.42

$1.17 ₱72.3

14.53%

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

$19.4K MX$340.2K

$26.1K ₱1.6M

-25.55%

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

$23.8K MX$417.7K

$22.8K ₱1.4M

4.40%

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

$40.69 MX$713

$135 ₱8,339

-69.95%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$21.56 ₱1,328

24.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$27.58 ₱1,699

10.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$925

$41.41 ₱2,550

27.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$6.82 ₱420

290.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$6.92 ₱426

-5.92%

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

$428 MX$7,502

$363 ₱22.4K

17.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.0K

$11.6K ₱713.5K

-9.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,003

$47.10 ₱2,900

21.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$797

$34.39 ₱2,118

32.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,824

$81.9 ₱5,041

27.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,890

$47.42 ₱2,920

127.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$486 ₱29.9K

106.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$272 ₱16.7K

129.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$1,729 ₱106.5K

21.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.3K

$641 ₱39.5K

90.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$4,332 ₱266.8K

-10.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.6K

$2,602 ₱160.2K

-21.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$467 ₱28.7K

122.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

7.52

50.80%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Manila: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $486 in Manila. 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 122% 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 Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $241 – making Manila 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 Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City, $957 in Manila – roughly 52% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $1,436 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manila, 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 $957 in Manila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% less in Manila. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Manila, where all-in costs run around $957, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Manila it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Manila has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $957 in Manila to $1,456 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Manila. 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.