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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $738 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,285 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,832 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 97% more expensive than in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Subic Bay Freeport Zone is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$4.42 ₱272

195.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$16.02 ₱988

235.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$3.60 ₱222

168.89%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$2.44 ₱150

53.28%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.82 ₱50.7

97.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.46 ₱28.30

152.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.44 ₱88.8

124.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$2.37 ₱146

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.83 ₱113

-9.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.50 ₱92.8

83.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$0.93 ₱57.6

101.08%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.97 ₱122

26.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$7.91 ₱488

28.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$5.05 ₱311

63.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$13.86 ₱855

-14.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.86 ₱176

5.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.81 ₱112

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.38 ₱84.9

44.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.14 ₱70.2

75.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.75 ₱108

18.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.42 ₱87.8

59.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.12 ₱68.9

30.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.88 ₱54.1

22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$2.47 ₱152

76.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$8.15 ₱503

108.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$0.77 ₱47.68

124.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.22 ₱137

61.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.22 ₱13.56

77.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$17.91 ₱1,105

4.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.69 ₱42.80

92.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.27 ₱16.65

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$2.07 ₱128

153.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.16 ₱71.4

15.52%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$28.4K ₱1.8M

-31.67%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$17.4K ₱1.1M

36.65%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$129 ₱7,930

-68.36%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$10.97 ₱676

144.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$18.69 ₱1,153

63.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$31.70 ₱1,955

66.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$4.50 ₱278

492.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$7.38 ₱455

-11.79%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$154 ₱9,498

177.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$4,271 ₱263.4K

145.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$45.13 ₱2,783

26.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$34.67 ₱2,138

31.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$69.8 ₱4,304

49.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$114 ₱7,014

-5.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$141 ₱8,672

613.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$87.0 ₱5,364

615.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$361 ₱22.3K

483.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$486 ₱30.0K

150.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$2,119 ₱130.7K

83.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$870 ₱53.7K

133.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.17

83.79%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Subic Bay Freeport Zone: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $141 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $16.00 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $220 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 97% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $738 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 $2,185 in Mexico City and $1,107 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $141 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 4% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $154 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $738 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone versus $1,456 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 97% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.