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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $687 in Marikina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,064 in Marikina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,442 in Marikina, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 116% more than Marikina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Marikina is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$3.50 ₱216

270.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$28.21 ₱1,740

88.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$3.45 ₱213

181.74%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.67 ₱165

40.45%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.74 ₱45.76

112.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.41 ₱25.13

175.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.04 ₱63.9

205.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.64 ₱163

76.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$2.04 ₱126

-20.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.44 ₱88.7

88.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.07 ₱66.1

75.70%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.26 ₱139

11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$8.08 ₱499

24.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.44 ₱274

86.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$7.57 ₱467

57.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.69 ₱166

6.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.90 ₱117

-7.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.59 ₱160

-19.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$2.19 ₱135

-10.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$3.41 ₱210

-36.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$2.92 ₱180

-25.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.13 ₱69.5

23.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.73 ₱45.25

53.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.74 ₱169

53.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$9.18 ₱566

55.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.19 ₱73.3

47.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.11 ₱130

74.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.42 ₱25.86

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.78 ₱48.24

78.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.11 ₱7.07

172.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$3.63 ₱224

49.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.10 ₱67.8

22.73%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$34.0K ₱2.1M

-44.52%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$18.1K ₱1.1M

28.25%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$110 ₱6,781

-62.87%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$14.00 ₱863

96.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$27.03 ₱1,667

12.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$41.16 ₱2,539

29.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$6.09 ₱376

2.96%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$319 ₱19.7K

36.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$1,166 ₱71.9K

797.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$45.19 ₱2,787

25.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$25.65 ₱1,582

74.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$57.1 ₱3,524

79.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$26.86 ₱1,657

301.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$175 ₱10.8K

470.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$87.6 ₱5,404

608.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$287 ₱17.7K

645.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$174 ₱10.8K

608.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$1,163 ₱71.8K

232.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$486 ₱30.0K

379.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$393 ₱24.2K

171.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.25

81.44%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Marikina: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $175 in Marikina. 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 172% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $28.00 in Marikina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $221 – making Marikina 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 Marikina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City, $687 in Marikina – roughly 116% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,030 in Marikina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Marikina, 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 $687 in Marikina. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $319 in Marikina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Marikina, where all-in costs run around $687, than in Mexico City at $1,484. In Marikina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $687 in Marikina 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 Marikina. 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.