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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $924 in Pasay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,317 in Pasay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,711 in Pasay.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 59% more expensive than in Pasay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Pasay is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$4.89 ₱299

168.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$21.56 ₱1,320

148.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$3.17 ₱194

194.32%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.14 ₱131

72.90%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.57 ₱34.90

180.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.38 ₱22.96

194.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.03 ₱63.2

204.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$1.53 ₱93.7

216.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.91 ₱117

-13.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.26 ₱77.2

115.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$0.95 ₱58.0

101.05%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.96 ₱120

32.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$4.82 ₱295

103.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$4.24 ₱259

98.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$5.58 ₱342

113.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$4.33 ₱265

-31.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.57 ₱96.2

10.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$2.50 ₱153

-18.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.64 ₱101

25.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$2.81 ₱172

-23.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$4.22 ₱258

-46.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$1.40 ₱85.5

-0.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.99 ₱60.7

13.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$3.12 ₱191

35.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$7.84 ₱480

123.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.02 ₱62.2

67.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$1.20 ₱73.5

202.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.20 ₱12.24

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.68 ₱41.43

102.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.27 ₱16.68

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$2.08 ₱128

153.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.10 ₱67.5

23.64%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$12.3K ₱750.2K

55.87%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$15.8K ₱968.5K

49.20%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$112 ₱6,858

-63.82%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$32.89 ₱2,013

-16.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$29.71 ₱1,819

2.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$35.53 ₱2,175

46.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$6.21 ₱380

-0.32%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$81.7 ₱5,002

420.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$2,835 ₱173.6K

278.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$32.18 ₱1,970

81.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$17.51 ₱1,072

154.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$85.2 ₱5,217

21.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$70.8 ₱4,331

53.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$402 ₱24.6K

152.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$306 ₱18.7K

103.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$1,446 ₱88.5K

46.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$403 ₱24.6K

203.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,908 ₱116.8K

98.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$579 ₱35.4K

264.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$524 ₱32.1K

100.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

41.75%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Pasay: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $402 in Pasay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 101% 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 $22.00 in Pasay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $203 per month, with Pasay 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 Pasay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Pasay differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $924 including rent). Pasay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 101% 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $402 in Pasay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $81.7 in Pasay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Pasay – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $924 in Pasay versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pasay but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Pasay 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 Pasay 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 Pasay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.