😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $766 in Pagadian.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,081 in Pagadian.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,396 in Pagadian.
😐Living in Mexico City is roughly 94% more expensive than Pagadian, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Pagadian is 43% below.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Pagadian
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.98MX$227
$3.47₱214
274.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.1MX$929
$17.84₱1,101
197.48%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.72MX$170
$3.32₱205
192.77%
Cappuccino
$3.75MX$65.6
$2.91₱180
28.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57MX$27.46
$1.02₱62.8
53.92%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13MX$19.76
$0.46₱28.34
145.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.18MX$55.7
$1.03₱63.7
208.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.66MX$81.6
$1.80₱111
158.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Pagadian
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.62MX$28.37
$1.79₱110
-9.50%
White Bread(500g)
$2.71MX$47.36
$1.08₱66.4
150.93%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.88MX$32.89
$0.99₱60.8
89.90%
Eggs
$2.51MX$43.90
$2.00₱124
25.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.08MX$176
$8.22₱507
22.63%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$4.83₱298
71.64%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.94MX$209
$5.77₱356
106.93%
Apples(1kg)
$2.86MX$50.1
$3.47₱214
-17.58%
Banana(1kg)
$1.75MX$30.62
$1.12₱69.2
56.25%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.48
$3.42₱211
-39.18%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.97MX$34.46
$1.34₱82.7
47.01%
Potato(1kg)
$2.16MX$37.79
$2.56₱158
-15.62%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.16
$3.38₱208
-35.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.39MX$24.34
$1.11₱68.6
25.23%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12MX$19.69
$0.73₱44.75
53.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20MX$73.5
$2.60₱160
61.54%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.25MX$249
$6.78₱418
110.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76MX$30.85
$1.05₱64.5
67.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68MX$64.5
$1.54₱94.8
138.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Pagadian
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.39MX$6.74
$0.28₱17.41
39.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.66MX$327
$7.05₱435
164.68%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.39MX$24.26
$0.79₱48.43
75.95%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.30MX$5.32
$0.22₱13.53
36.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.42MX$94.9
$2.07₱128
161.84%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35MX$23.63
$1.24₱76.4
8.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.9KMX$330.5K
$26.3K₱1.6M
-28.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2KMX$405.2K
$20.1K₱1.2M
14.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Pagadian
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.82MX$714
$93.0₱5,738
-56.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.50MX$481
$33.39₱2,059
-17.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38MX$532
$27.33₱1,686
11.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Pagadian
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.4MX$935
$34.24₱2,112
56.05%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.30MX$460
$4.53₱279
480.57%
Cinema Ticket
$6.27MX$110
$6.10₱376
2.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Pagadian
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$436MX$7,632
$150₱9,241
191.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.5KMX$183.2K
$4,307₱265.7K
143.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Pagadian
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8MX$993
$45.65₱2,815
24.34%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.79MX$784
$26.11₱1,610
71.54%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103MX$1,799
$74.0₱4,564
38.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108MX$1,888
$54.2₱3,340
99.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Pagadian
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,000MX$17.5K
$111₱6,847
800.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$620MX$10.9K
$177₱10.9K
250.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,137MX$37.4K
$244₱15.1K
774.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,235MX$21.6K
$154₱9,474
704.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,865MX$67.6K
$2,393₱147.6K
61.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,332MX$40.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Pagadian
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,067MX$18.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.34
6.67
70.01%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Mexico City: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Pagadian: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $111 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 $286 vs $201 per month, with Pagadian cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Mexico City vs Pagadian: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Pagadian?
Mexico City and Pagadian differ by about 94% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $766 including rent). Pagadian is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Pagadian?
You'd need roughly $2,225 in Mexico City and $1,149 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and Pagadian?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $111 in Pagadian. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and Pagadian?
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.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Pagadian?
Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $150 in Pagadian. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $766 in Pagadian versus $1,484 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.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Pagadian?
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.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Pagadian?
Expats usually find Pagadian gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado