Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Subic Bay Freeport Zone Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Subic Bay Freeport Zone

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $658 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,006 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,353 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 152% more expensive than in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Subic Bay Freeport Zone is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$4.75 ₱298

150.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$14.45 ₱906

257.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$5.25 ₱329

117.33%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.20 ₱138

81.36%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.60 ₱37.36

176.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.31 ₱19.45

329.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.47 ₱92.1

136.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.02 ₱127

192.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.60 ₱101

17.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.18 ₱74.0

175.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.06 ₱66.6

103.77%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.94 ₱122

49.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$4.57 ₱287

181.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.71 ₱233

170.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$6.39 ₱401

148.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.22 ₱139

48.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.56 ₱98.1

28.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.65 ₱166

-16.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.18 ₱74.2

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$2.05 ₱128

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$2.16 ₱136

-12.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.75 ₱47.27

114.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.60 ₱37.78

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.92 ₱183

86.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.02 ₱503

120.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$0.97 ₱60.8

112.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.90 ₱119

146.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.20 ₱12.52

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$9.83 ₱616

111.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.81 ₱50.7

159.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.23 ₱14.37

143.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$1.85 ₱116

214.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.04 ₱65.2

54.81%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$21.9K ₱1.4M

4.38%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$16.7K ₱1.0M

59.90%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$141 ₱8,852

-53.82%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$15.67 ₱983

92.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$16.38 ₱1,028

126.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$30.31 ₱1,901

97.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$4.68 ₱293

467.31%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.09 ₱319

38.31%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$129 ₱8,063

261.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$7,462 ₱468.0K

77.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$35.14 ₱2,204

115.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$19.42 ₱1,218

188.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$63.3 ₱3,972

76.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$50.8 ₱3,187

137.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$128 ₱8,040

760.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$78.6 ₱4,931

816.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$327 ₱20.5K

673.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$191 ₱12.0K

578.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$2,625 ₱164.6K

52.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$913 ₱57.3K

128.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $128 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $14.00 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $174 per month, with Subic Bay Freeport Zone 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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Subic Bay Freeport Zone differ by about 152% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $658 including rent). Subic Bay Freeport Zone 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 $988 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone 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 $128 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Subic Bay Freeport Zone runs roughly 112% 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 $129 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $658 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Subic Bay Freeport Zone but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Subic Bay Freeport Zone 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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone 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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 152% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.