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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $673 in Pampanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,018 in Pampanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,362 in Pampanga.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 146% more expensive than in Pampanga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Pampanga is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$2.84 ₱178

319.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$16.13 ₱1,013

219.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$3.27 ₱205

248.93%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$2.17 ₱136

83.87%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$0.58 ₱36.25

186.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.33 ₱20.66

303.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$1.13 ₱70.7

207.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$1.92 ₱120

207.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$1.43 ₱89.8

31.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$1.08 ₱67.7

200.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$0.79 ₱49.69

173.42%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$1.49 ₱93.9

94.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$3.87 ₱243

232.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$2.82 ₱177

256.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$6.36 ₱400

149.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$1.86 ₱117

76.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$0.99 ₱62.1

103.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.12 ₱133

3.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$1.04 ₱65.3

126.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$1.45 ₱91.2

41.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$1.50 ₱94.4

26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$0.80 ₱50.3

101.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.59 ₱37.16

137.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$1.95 ₱123

180.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$5.98 ₱375

195.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$0.71 ₱44.68

190.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$1.23 ₱77.5

280.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.27 ₱17.15

25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

$10.90 ₱685

90.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.81 ₱51.0

159.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.25 ₱15.76

124.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$1.83 ₱115

217.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.03 ₱64.7

56.31%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$18.9K ₱1.2M

20.62%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$17.8K ₱1.1M

49.94%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$129 ₱8,129

-49.63%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$15.23 ₱957

97.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$27.79 ₱1,746

33.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$29.03 ₱1,824

105.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

$4.60 ₱289

477.17%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.06 ₱318

39.13%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$134 ₱8,400

247.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$8,009 ₱503.2K

65.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$26.51 ₱1,665

186.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$19.14 ₱1,203

192.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$71.1 ₱4,468

57.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$37.74 ₱2,371

219.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$271 ₱17.0K

306.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$172 ₱10.8K

318.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$496 ₱31.1K

410.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$370 ₱23.2K

249.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

$2,601 ₱163.4K

53.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,024 ₱64.4K

103.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$293 ₱18.4K

254.15%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Pampanga: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $271 in Pampanga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 254% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $16.00 in Pampanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $144 per month, with Pampanga 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 Pampanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Pampanga differ by about 146% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $673 including rent). Pampanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 254% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $271 in Pampanga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pampanga runs roughly 91% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $134 in Pampanga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $673 in Pampanga versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pampanga but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Pampanga 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 Pampanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 146% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.