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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $786 in Negros.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,216 in Negros.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,646 in Negros.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 84% more expensive than Negros, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Negros is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.59 ₱218

261.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$13.32 ₱809

294.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.12 ₱190

202.24%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.58 ₱95.9

125.95%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.33 ₱20.16

387.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.46 ₱27.81

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.29 ₱78.4

144.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.09 ₱127

132.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.24 ₱136

-24.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.52 ₱92.1

73.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.17 ₱71.0

62.39%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.31 ₱140

9.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$12.73 ₱773

-20.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.34 ₱324

55.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$7.65 ₱465

51.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.50 ₱212

-13.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.46 ₱88.9

17.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$3.27 ₱198

-37.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$2.24 ₱136

-8.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$2.68 ₱163

-23.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.49 ₱151

-12.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.92 ₱55.9

52.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.84 ₱51.2

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$3.15 ₱191

36.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$6.57 ₱399

134.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.21 ₱73.6

38.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.34 ₱142

57.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.26 ₱15.65

46.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.89 ₱53.9

55.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.25 ₱15.25

12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$2.59 ₱157

109.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.15 ₱69.5

11.30%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$29.6K ₱1.8M

-35.79%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$27.4K ₱1.7M

-14.31%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$97.3 ₱5,909

-57.85%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$34.75 ₱2,110

-22.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$29.67 ₱1,802

0.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$34.05 ₱2,067

53.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$4.48 ₱272

485.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$6.07 ₱369

1.81%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$229 ₱13.9K

86.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$3,908 ₱237.3K

173.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$46.54 ₱2,826

22.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$23.38 ₱1,420

91.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$76.1 ₱4,620

37.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$55.1 ₱3,347

92.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$261 ₱15.8K

281.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$179 ₱10.9K

247.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$582 ₱35.3K

265.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$395 ₱24.0K

217.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,267 ₱137.6K

72.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$971 ₱59.0K

115.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$247 ₱15.0K

347.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

62.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Negros: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $261 in Negros. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 347% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $13.00 in Negros for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $241 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 84% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $786 including rent). Negros is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 347% more on average, 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $261 in Negros. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $229 in Negros. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Negros – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $786 in Negros versus $1,447 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 84% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.