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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $698 in Olongapo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,040 in Olongapo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,381 in Olongapo.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 110% more expensive than Olongapo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Olongapo is 48% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$3.49 ₱215

277.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$13.38 ₱825

302.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$2.61 ₱161

260.92%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.46 ₱151

44.31%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.69 ₱42.27

134.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.40 ₱24.77

177.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.44 ₱88.9

116.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$1.64 ₱101

182.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.91 ₱118

-10.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.42 ₱26.07

547.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$0.85 ₱52.2

124.71%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.19 ₱135

15.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$9.15 ₱564

9.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$2.77 ₱171

192.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$8.71 ₱537

33.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.75 ₱170

8.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.03 ₱63.8

75.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$2.35 ₱145

-14.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.20 ₱74.1

69.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.89 ₱116

12.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$2.19 ₱135

3.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.69 ₱42.36

102.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.42 ₱25.82

169.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$3.22 ₱199

32.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$8.65 ₱534

79.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.02 ₱63.1

72.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.33 ₱143

54.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.20 ₱12.31

90.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$17.94 ₱1,106

6.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.86 ₱53.0

60.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.22 ₱13.56

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$2.35 ₱145

131.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.11 ₱68.8

17.12%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$31.5K ₱1.9M

-40.70%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$20.6K ₱1.3M

12.15%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$146 ₱9,025

-72.08%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$35.09 ₱2,164

-23.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$26.68 ₱1,645

12.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$15.26 ₱941

240.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$5.19 ₱320

417.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$4.36 ₱269

44.50%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$87.7 ₱5,409

397.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$4,814 ₱296.9K

116.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$49.21 ₱3,034

15.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$27.28 ₱1,682

62.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$76.6 ₱4,722

34.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$46.15 ₱2,846

128.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$124 ₱7,668

721.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$90.0 ₱5,547

601.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$261 ₱16.1K

719.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$181 ₱11.1K

588.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$320 ₱19.7K

545.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$136 ₱8,363

722.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.5

152.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Olongapo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $124 in Olongapo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 722% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $13.00 in Olongapo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $183 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 110% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $698 including rent). Olongapo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 722% 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $124 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 7% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $87.7 in Olongapo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $698 in Olongapo versus $1,467 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 110% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.