Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Negros

For one person, living is cheaper in Negros: $721 a month against $1,674 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Negros, Philippines
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,674
/mo nomad
Negros
🇵🇭 Philippines
$721
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Negros

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Negros actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,674 in Mexico City versus $721 in Negros.

  • Mexico City $1,674
  • Negros $721

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,606 in Mexico City versus $1,086 in Negros.

  • Mexico City $2,606
  • Negros $1,086

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,537 in Mexico City versus $1,452 in Negros.

  • Mexico City $3,537
  • Negros $1,452

Living in Mexico City is roughly 132% more expensive than in Negros, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 24% above, Negros is 47% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Negros
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.59 MX$197
$3.21 ₱204
229.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.0 MX$967
$11.52 ₱733
351.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.73 MX$200
$2.76 ₱176
288.77%
Cappuccino
$3.80 MX$70.7
$1.44 ₱91.5
163.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 MX$30.01
$0.69 ₱43.63
133.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$22.55
$0.41 ₱26.03
195.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 MX$59.1
$1.14 ₱72.6
178.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.44 MX$101
$1.93 ₱123
181.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Negros
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$31.96
$1.88 ₱120
-8.51%
White Bread (500g)
$2.97 MX$55.2
$1.11 ₱70.5
167.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.93 MX$35.84
$1.02 ₱64.6
89.22%
Eggs
$2.77 MX$51.6
$1.90 ₱121
45.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.67 MX$217
$4.71 ₱300
147.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.48 MX$176
$4.30 ₱273
120.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.37 MX$286
$7.57 ₱481
103.04%
Apples (1kg)
$3.10 MX$57.8
$3.16 ₱201
-1.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.96 MX$36.49
$1.32 ₱83.7
48.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 MX$36.88
$2.23 ₱142
-11.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.34 MX$43.46
$1.46 ₱92.6
60.27%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.66
$2.28 ₱145
-11.40%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 MX$33.95
$1.93 ₱123
-5.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.54 MX$28.74
$1.06 ₱67.7
45.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 MX$24.42
$0.59 ₱37.68
122.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.35 MX$99.6
$2.84 ₱180
88.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.19 MX$301
$6.30 ₱401
156.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 MX$36.46
$1.27 ₱80.6
54.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 MX$81.0
$1.69 ₱107
157.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Negros
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.30 MX$5.67
$0.24 ₱15.31
25.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.49 MX$363
$12.40 ₱788
57.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.92 MX$35.68
$0.79 ₱50.0
143.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 MX$8.80
$0.22 ₱14.00
113.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 MX$101
$1.89 ₱120
186.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 MX$27.61
$1.35 ₱86.0
9.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K MX$397.7K
$21.0K ₱1.3M
1.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K MX$442.1K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
24.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Negros
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.0 MX$1,154
$118 ₱7,478
-47.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.47 MX$530
$15.58 ₱990
82.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.11 MX$635
$28.23 ₱1,795
20.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Negros
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.4 MX$1,087
$31.13 ₱1,979
87.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.50 MX$456
$5.14 ₱327
376.65%
Cinema Ticket
$6.59 MX$123
$5.44 ₱346
21.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Negros
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$434 MX$8,081
$130 ₱8,292
232.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.0K MX$261.2K
$7,904 ₱502.5K
77.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Negros
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.4 MX$1,272
$32.80 ₱2,086
108.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.8 MX$1,020
$19.50 ₱1,240
181.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 MX$2,063
$76.2 ₱4,842
45.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 MX$2,159
$55.9 ₱3,553
107.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Negros
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,179 MX$21.9K
$247 ₱15.7K
376.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$771 MX$14.3K
$170 ₱10.8K
354.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,570 MX$47.8K
$480 ₱30.5K
435.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,420 MX$26.4K
$352 ₱22.4K
303.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,586 MX$66.7K
$2,583 ₱164.2K
38.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,064 MX$38.4K
$1,093 ₱69.5K
88.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Negros
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,003 MX$18.7K
$233 ₱14.8K
329.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
7
62.14%

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

Last update for Mexico City: November 1, 2026

Last update for Negros: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$771
Negros
$170 78% $601
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$324
Negros
$184 43.1% $139
Eating Out
Mexico City
$201
Negros
$65 67.5% $135
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$158
Negros
$83 47.3% $75
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$125
Negros
$161 29.6% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Negros
$42 41.3% $30
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Negros
$15 39% $9.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,179 in Mexico City and $247 in Negros. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays about 4.3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $52 in Mexico City vs $12 in Negros for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $184 per month, with Negros cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇵🇭 Negros
🕒 Local time
17:42 5:42 PM
07:42 7:42 AM
14 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
4,414,131
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.95 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 63.58 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.57 PHP (100 PHP = 1.4 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Negros 14,360 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Negros

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Negros: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Negros?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,674 in Mexico City and $721 in Negros, so Negros is about 57% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Mexico City or Negros?
Average pay in Mexico City is about 4.3 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and in Negros?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,179 in Mexico City versus $247 in Negros. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and in Negros?
A monthly transit pass in Negros runs roughly 36% less than in Mexico City. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Negros?
Childcare runs $434 in Mexico City versus $130 in Negros. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $721 in Negros versus $1,674 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Negros but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Negros the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Negros?
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.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Negros?
Expats usually find Negros gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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