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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,668 in Mexico City versus $705 in Olongapo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,052 in Olongapo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,557 in Mexico City versus $1,398 in Olongapo.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 136% more expensive than in Olongapo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 24% above, Olongapo is 48% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.03 MX$213

$3.92 ₱245

206.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 MX$934

$16.90 ₱1,056

212.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 MX$207

$2.84 ₱177

311.62%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$68.4

$1.77 ₱110

118.64%

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

$1.75 MX$30.94

$0.61 ₱38.02

186.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$24.65

$0.33 ₱20.81

321.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 MX$59.4

$1.03 ₱64.3

226.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MX$102

$1.46 ₱91.2

295.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$31.92

$1.60 ₱100

13.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$54.5

$0.39 ₱24.19

689.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.65

$0.75 ₱47.04

184.00%

Eggs

$2.98 MX$52.6

$1.94 ₱121

53.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 MX$221

$4.95 ₱309

153.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 MX$181

$2.53 ₱158

304.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 MX$281

$7.73 ₱483

105.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$59.8

$2.28 ₱143

48.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 MX$37.24

$0.92 ₱57.3

129.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.59

$2.30 ₱143

-7.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$43.61

$1.03 ₱64.5

139.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$36.03

$1.72 ₱107

18.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.59

$1.70 ₱106

18.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MX$28.15

$0.67 ₱41.81

137.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.50

$0.38 ₱24.02

250.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 MX$97.0

$2.85 ₱178

92.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 MX$310

$8.81 ₱550

98.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$35.61

$0.95 ₱59.4

111.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.8

$2.07 ₱129

128.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.94

$0.27 ₱17.02

25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$373

$11.29 ₱705

86.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$36.28

$0.83 ₱51.6

146.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.75

$0.23 ₱14.34

165.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 MX$101

$1.95 ₱122

192.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$28.09

$1.07 ₱66.7

48.60%

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

$22.9K MX$404.6K

$21.7K ₱1.4M

5.59%

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

$26.4K MX$466.2K

$19.4K ₱1.2M

36.27%

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

$64.2 MX$1,135

$129 ₱8,058

-50.21%

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

$29.42 MX$520

$17.54 ₱1,096

67.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MX$651

$23.20 ₱1,449

58.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 MX$1,038

$32.24 ₱2,013

82.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$469

$4.81 ₱300

451.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 MX$123

$4.42 ₱276

57.24%

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

$463 MX$8,180

$77.9 ₱4,867

493.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$236.2K

$10.5K ₱657.2K

27.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 MX$1,333

$29.00 ₱1,811

160.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MX$958

$19.13 ₱1,195

183.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,965

$71.8 ₱4,481

54.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,160

$54.6 ₱3,411

123.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 MX$20.0K

$267 ₱16.7K

324.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 MX$12.3K

$171 ₱10.7K

309.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 MX$43.2K

$265 ₱16.5K

821.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 MX$23.0K

$343 ₱21.4K

279.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,910 MX$69.1K

$2,632 ₱164.4K

48.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$36.6K

$1,029 ₱64.3K

101.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.6K

$137 ₱8,583

665.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.75

67.41%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Last update for Olongapo: September 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,133 in Mexico City and $267 in Olongapo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 666% 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 $17.00 in Olongapo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 vs $155 per month, with Olongapo 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 Olongapo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Olongapo differ by about 136% in total monthly costs ($1,668 vs $705 including rent). Olongapo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 666% 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: $1,133 in Mexico City versus $267 in Olongapo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Olongapo runs roughly 87% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $463 in Mexico City versus $77.9 in Olongapo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $705 in Olongapo versus $1,668 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Olongapo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Olongapo 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Olongapo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Olongapo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 136% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.