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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $747 in Negros.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,136 in Negros.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,524 in Negros.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 122% more expensive than in Negros, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Negros is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$3.07 ₱193

288.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$12.00 ₱754

330.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$2.85 ₱179

300.35%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$1.47 ₱92.4

171.43%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$0.63 ₱39.40

163.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.41 ₱26.07

224.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$1.20 ₱75.7

189.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$1.95 ₱122

202.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$1.90 ₱119

-1.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$1.11 ₱69.7

192.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$0.97 ₱61.1

122.68%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$2.03 ₱128

42.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$10.23 ₱643

25.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.39 ₱276

128.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$7.60 ₱477

108.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$3.49 ₱219

-5.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$1.44 ₱90.5

39.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.38 ₱149

-7.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$1.54 ₱96.5

53.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$2.37 ₱149

-13.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$1.87 ₱118

1.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$1.20 ₱75.1

34.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.68 ₱42.80

105.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$2.92 ₱183

86.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$6.35 ₱399

177.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$1.22 ₱76.9

68.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$1.65 ₱104

183.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.22 ₱14.13

54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

$10.14 ₱637

105.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.72 ₱45.40

191.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.20 ₱12.54

180.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$1.87 ₱117

210.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.32 ₱82.7

21.97%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$21.5K ₱1.4M

6.21%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$19.5K ₱1.2M

37.08%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$123 ₱7,696

-46.79%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$14.81 ₱931

103.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$27.47 ₱1,726

35.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$30.31 ₱1,904

97.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

$4.75 ₱299

458.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.53 ₱347

27.31%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$135 ₱8,483

244.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$7,906 ₱496.7K

67.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$32.18 ₱2,021

135.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$19.16 ₱1,204

192.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$76.2 ₱4,786

46.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$56.5 ₱3,546

113.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$273 ₱17.2K

303.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$164 ₱10.3K

339.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$497 ₱31.2K

409.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$347 ₱21.8K

272.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

$2,545 ₱159.9K

56.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$882 ₱55.4K

136.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$236 ₱14.8K

339.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

61.43%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Negros: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $273 in Negros. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 339% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $12.00 in Negros for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $207 per month, with Negros cheaper across the board.

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

Mexico City and Negros differ by about 122% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $747 including rent). Negros is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 339% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $273 in Negros. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Negros runs roughly 105% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $135 in Negros. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $747 in Negros versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 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.

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.

Expats usually find Negros gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.