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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $783 in Pagadian.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,091 in Pagadian.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,398 in Pagadian.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 85% more expensive than Pagadian, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.57 ₱217

263.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$17.62 ₱1,070

198.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.25 ₱197

190.15%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.91 ₱177

22.68%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.02 ₱61.8

57.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.42 ₱25.61

173.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.09 ₱66.1

188.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$1.81 ₱110

168.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.79 ₱109

-5.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.07 ₱65.1

146.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.02 ₱62.2

86.27%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.02 ₱123

25.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$8.01 ₱486

25.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.04 ₱306

64.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$5.95 ₱362

94.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.49 ₱212

-13.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.12 ₱68.1

52.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$3.36 ₱204

-38.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.33 ₱80.8

54.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$2.56 ₱155

-19.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$3.33 ₱202

-34.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.06 ₱64.3

32.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.73 ₱44.11

53.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.62 ₱159

63.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$7.82 ₱475

97.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.04 ₱63.0

60.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.49 ₱90.4

147.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.26 ₱15.59

46.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$7.20 ₱437

164.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.83 ₱50.6

66.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.22 ₱13.34

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$2.19 ₱133

147.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.25 ₱76.2

2.40%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$26.3K ₱1.6M

-27.86%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

13.07%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$93.5 ₱5,678

-56.14%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$32.36 ₱1,965

-16.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$27.61 ₱1,677

7.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$34.30 ₱2,082

52.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$4.31 ₱262

508.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$5.84 ₱355

5.82%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$154 ₱9,350

177.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$4,336 ₱263.3K

146.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$45.71 ₱2,775

24.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$26.69 ₱1,621

67.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$76.5 ₱4,643

36.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$52.5 ₱3,188

101.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$112 ₱6,814

786.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$178 ₱10.8K

248.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$252 ₱15.3K

744.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$152 ₱9,200

727.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,493 ₱151.4K

56.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$886 ₱53.8K

136.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.67

70.01%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Pagadian: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $112 in Pagadian. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $18.00 in Pagadian for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $203 per month, with Pagadian 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 Pagadian: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Pagadian differ by about 85% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $783 including rent). Pagadian is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $1,174 in Pagadian to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $112 in Pagadian. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pagadian runs roughly 165% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $154 in Pagadian. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $783 in Pagadian versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pagadian but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Pagadian 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 Pagadian gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.