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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $802 in Siargao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,248 in Siargao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,693 in Siargao.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 107% more expensive than in Siargao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Siargao is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$3.65 ₱229

226.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$19.43 ₱1,218

165.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$3.28 ₱206

247.87%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.64 ₱166

51.14%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.76 ₱47.94

118.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.40 ₱24.90

232.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.29 ₱80.7

168.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.17 ₱136

171.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.82 ₱114

3.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.27 ₱79.5

155.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.03 ₱64.4

109.71%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.07 ₱130

40.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$8.04 ₱504

59.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.14 ₱260

142.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$7.53 ₱472

110.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.85 ₱179

15.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.52 ₱95.0

32.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.72 ₱171

-19.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.55 ₱97.5

52.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$2.21 ₱139

-7.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$2.62 ₱165

-27.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.11 ₱69.8

45.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.76 ₱47.90

84.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.92 ₱183

86.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$7.00 ₱439

152.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.21 ₱76.0

70.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.03 ₱127

130.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.26 ₱16.18

30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$11.51 ₱722

80.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.83 ₱52.0

153.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.22 ₱13.73

154.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$2.15 ₱135

170.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.10 ₱69.2

46.36%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$26.2K ₱1.6M

-12.90%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

28.75%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$111 ₱6,966

-41.31%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$33.42 ₱2,096

-9.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$27.75 ₱1,741

33.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$33.34 ₱2,091

79.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$4.37 ₱274

507.55%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.76 ₱362

22.22%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$154 ₱9,688

200.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$4,282 ₱268.6K

209.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$46.52 ₱2,918

63.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$26.88 ₱1,686

108.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$74.4 ₱4,664

50.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$52.4 ₱3,286

130.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$263 ₱16.5K

319.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$178 ₱11.2K

305.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$577 ₱36.2K

338.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$393 ₱24.6K

229.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$2,350 ₱147.4K

69.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,028 ₱64.5K

103.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.67

69.42%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Siargao: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $263 in Siargao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $19.00 in Siargao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $202 per month, with Siargao 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 Siargao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Siargao differ by about 107% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $802 including rent). Siargao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $1,204 in Siargao 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $263 in Siargao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Siargao runs roughly 81% 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 $154 in Siargao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $802 in Siargao versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Siargao but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Siargao 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 Siargao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.