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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $971 in Manila, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,386 per month in Mexico City vs $1,561 in Manila, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,287 per month in Mexico City vs $2,150 in Manila, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 53% more than Manila, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Manila is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.44 MX$232

$5.38 ₱331

149.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$922

$26.70 ₱1,643

100.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.76 MX$168

$4.32 ₱266

125.93%

Cappuccino

$3.73 MX$64.2

$2.62 ₱161

42.37%

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

$1.56 MX$26.95

$0.98 ₱60.4

59.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.42

$0.54 ₱33.44

109.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.4

$1.49 ₱91.7

111.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 MX$81.0

$2.68 ₱165

75.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.37

$1.92 ₱118

-14.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 MX$46.11

$1.36 ₱83.4

97.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 MX$33.91

$1.03 ₱63.6

91.26%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.01

$2.15 ₱132

16.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$173

$9.57 ₱589

4.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.28 MX$143

$5.38 ₱331

53.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.54 MX$199

$8.62 ₱531

33.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$50.4

$3.46 ₱213

-15.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.59

$1.74 ₱107

2.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.53

$3.49 ₱214

-40.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.62

$2.48 ₱153

-16.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.07

$2.78 ₱171

-22.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.47

$3.03 ₱186

-28.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MX$24.83

$1.97 ₱121

-26.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.71

$0.69 ₱42.61

57.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MX$74.7

$3.33 ₱205

30.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.61 MX$252

$10.02 ₱616

45.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.25

$1.52 ₱93.3

15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$63.4

$2.23 ₱137

65.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.56

$0.52 ₱31.92

-26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.84 MX$325

$11.88 ₱731

58.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$23.96

$0.91 ₱55.7

52.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.21

$0.27 ₱16.78

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.50 MX$94.7

$2.19 ₱135

151.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.07

$1.13 ₱69.4

13.27%

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

$18.8K MX$323.6K

$26.7K ₱1.6M

-29.70%

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

$23.9K MX$412.0K

$22.7K ₱1.4M

5.19%

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

$39.83 MX$686

$138 ₱8,500

-71.17%

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

$27.24 MX$469

$22.02 ₱1,355

23.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.48 MX$508

$27.54 ₱1,694

7.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 MX$925

$41.47 ₱2,551

29.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.60 MX$458

$6.85 ₱421

288.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 MX$108

$6.61 ₱407

-4.99%

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

$440 MX$7,589

$357 ₱22.0K

23.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MX$183.3K

$11.3K ₱694.8K

-5.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 MX$975

$47.22 ₱2,905

19.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.59 MX$768

$34.57 ₱2,127

28.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,756

$83.4 ₱5,128

22.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,833

$46.02 ₱2,831

131.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 MX$17.6K

$502 ₱30.9K

103.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 MX$10.9K

$267 ₱16.5K

136.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$1,721 ₱105.9K

21.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 MX$21.1K

$642 ₱39.5K

91.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,914 MX$67.4K

$4,400 ₱270.7K

-11.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,118 MX$36.5K

$2,674 ₱164.5K

-20.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,123 MX$19.4K

$468 ₱28.8K

139.89%

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: May 11, 2026

Last update for Manila: May 10, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Mexico City versus $502 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 140% 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: $286 vs $244 – 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: $1,484 in Mexico City, $971 in Manila – roughly 53% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,227 per month in Mexico City and $1,457 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 $1,484 in Mexico City and $971 in Manila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 59% 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 $971, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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 $971 in Manila to $1,484 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.