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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $959 in Manila, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,528 in Manila, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,097 in Manila, rent included.

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

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Manila is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$5.38 ₱332

144.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$26.83 ₱1,655

100.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.34 ₱267

117.05%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.75 ₱169

29.09%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.96 ₱58.9

68.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.50 ₱30.56

122.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.49 ₱92.0

109.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.61 ₱161

77.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.89 ₱116

-10.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.38 ₱85.3

97.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.05 ₱64.7

81.90%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.18 ₱135

16.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$9.61 ₱593

4.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$5.19 ₱320

55.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$8.32 ₱513

39.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$3.50 ₱216

-15.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.80 ₱111

0.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$3.58 ₱221

-43.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$2.49 ₱154

-18.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$2.76 ₱170

-23.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$3.03 ₱187

-25.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$2.01 ₱124

-30.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.64 ₱39.57

76.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$3.32 ₱205

28.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$9.74 ₱601

59.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.49 ₱92.1

18.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.15 ₱133

67.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.52 ₱31.91

-26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$12.00 ₱740

59.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.86 ₱53.2

60.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.25 ₱15.37

12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$2.16 ₱133

152.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.16 ₱71.8

12.07%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$26.2K ₱1.6M

-28.68%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$22.7K ₱1.4M

1.79%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$138 ₱8,529

-70.46%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$22.24 ₱1,371

20.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$27.71 ₱1,709

8.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$41.41 ₱2,554

25.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$6.89 ₱425

289.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$6.58 ₱406

-4.26%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$357 ₱22.0K

22.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$11.5K ₱707.3K

-9.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$46.42 ₱2,862

22.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$35.12 ₱2,166

26.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$82.4 ₱5,081

24.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$45.78 ₱2,823

130.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$500 ₱30.8K

104.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$265 ₱16.3K

138.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$1,684 ₱103.8K

26.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$636 ₱39.2K

95.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$4,370 ₱269.4K

-10.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$2,544 ₱156.9K

-18.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$481 ₱29.7K

131.84%

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 31, 2026

Last update for Manila: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $500 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 132% 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: $288 vs $242 – 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: $1,467 in Mexico City, $959 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 $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,438 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 $1,467 in Mexico City and $959 in Manila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 60% 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 $959, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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 $959 in Manila to $1,467 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.