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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,561 in Mexico City versus $376 in Roxas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,440 in Mexico City versus $611 in Roxas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,319 in Mexico City versus $847 in Roxas.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 315% more expensive than in Roxas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 16% above, Roxas is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.12 MX$200

$2.76 ₱173

302.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.99 MX$880

$19.33 ₱1,212

153.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 MX$202

$2.42 ₱152

364.05%

Cappuccino

$3.76 MX$67.5

$1.88 ₱118

100.00%

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

$1.65 MX$29.69

$0.45 ₱28.40

266.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$22.98

$0.17 ₱10.36

652.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MX$58.5

$1.05 ₱65.9

210.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 MX$102

$1.75 ₱110

223.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$32.52

$1.69 ₱106

7.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 MX$52.8

$0.89 ₱56.1

230.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$36.82

$0.84 ₱52.8

144.05%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$52.6

$1.94 ₱121

51.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 MX$215

$5.81 ₱364

105.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 MX$171

$3.96 ₱248

140.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 MX$267

$6.35 ₱398

133.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 MX$56.5

$1.62 ₱102

93.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.20

$0.95 ₱59.5

111.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$37.29

$1.31 ₱82.1

58.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 MX$39.86

$0.82 ₱51.5

170.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$37.01

$0.93 ₱58.5

121.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 MX$33.73

$0.93 ₱58.6

102.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$26.60

$1.47 ₱91.9

0.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$24.17

$0.77 ₱47.99

75.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 MX$97.2

$2.21 ₱139

144.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.86 MX$303

$6.22 ₱390

171.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$35.66

$1.11 ₱69.3

78.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 MX$77.7

$1.25 ₱78.5

245.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.23 MX$363

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$37.65

$0.78 ₱49.08

169.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.53

$0.33 ₱20.93

60.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$97.1

$2.33 ₱146

132.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$27.31

$1.01 ₱63.3

50.50%

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

$21.7K MX$390.5K

$21.5K ₱1.3M

1.18%

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

$24.8K MX$445.9K

$19.0K ₱1.2M

30.48%

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

$63.0 MX$1,132

$62.5 ₱3,918

0.80%

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

$28.88 MX$519

$7.90 ₱496

265.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.93 MX$610

$21.35 ₱1,339

58.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 MX$1,002

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.90 MX$447

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 MX$122

$4.69 ₱294

44.35%

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

$428 MX$7,687

$32.11 ₱2,014

1232.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K MX$213.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 MX$1,258

$23.66 ₱1,484

195.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 MX$966

$17.88 ₱1,121

200.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MX$1,973

$56.4 ₱3,539

94.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MX$2,070

$24.27 ₱1,522

374.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 MX$19.1K

$315 ₱19.7K

237.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 MX$12.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,379 MX$42.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 MX$22.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,716 MX$66.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 MX$35.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$997 MX$17.9K

$564 ₱35.4K

76.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

7.33

54.16%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 6, 2026

Last update for Roxas: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Mexico City and $315 in Roxas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 77% 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: $49.00 in Mexico City vs $19.00 in Roxas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $156 per month, with Roxas 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 Roxas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Roxas differ by about 315% in total monthly costs ($1,561 vs $376 including rent). Roxas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 77% 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: $1,062 in Mexico City versus $315 in Roxas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $32.11 in Roxas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Roxas – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $49.00 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $376 in Roxas versus $1,561 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Roxas but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Roxas 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 Roxas 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 Roxas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 315% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.