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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $755 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,282 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,809 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 94% more expensive than Subic Bay Freeport Zone, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Subic Bay Freeport Zone is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$4.53 ₱280

190.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$16.23 ₱1,001

232.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$3.65 ₱225

158.08%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$2.54 ₱157

39.76%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$0.85 ₱52.5

90.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.45 ₱27.93

146.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$1.49 ₱92.0

109.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$2.36 ₱146

96.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.80 ₱111

-5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$1.51 ₱93.3

80.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$0.95 ₱58.7

101.05%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$2.07 ₱128

22.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$8.14 ₱502

23.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$5.20 ₱321

55.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$13.83 ₱853

-15.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$2.95 ₱182

0.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.76 ₱109

2.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$1.43 ₱88.0

40.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$1.14 ₱70.5

78.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$1.73 ₱107

22.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$1.43 ₱88.2

58.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$1.07 ₱65.8

30.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.83 ₱51.0

36.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$2.50 ₱154

70.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$7.84 ₱484

98.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$0.83 ₱51.4

112.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$2.29 ₱141

57.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.22 ₱13.51

72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$18.12 ₱1,118

5.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$0.73 ₱45.11

89.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$0.27 ₱16.68

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$2.10 ₱129

159.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$1.11 ₱68.3

17.12%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$27.9K ₱1.7M

-32.97%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$17.4K ₱1.1M

32.90%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$129 ₱7,985

-68.43%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$10.92 ₱674

145.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$18.27 ₱1,127

63.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$31.14 ₱1,922

67.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$4.55 ₱281

489.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$7.54 ₱465

-16.45%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$150 ₱9,233

191.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$4,384 ₱270.5K

137.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$45.58 ₱2,813

24.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$34.62 ₱2,136

28.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$67.5 ₱4,166

52.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$116 ₱7,142

-8.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$141 ₱8,716

623.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$88.0 ₱5,427

617.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$366 ₱22.6K

482.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$472 ₱29.1K

163.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$2,350 ₱145.0K

66.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$1,066 ₱65.8K

93.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Subic Bay Freeport Zone: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 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 $288 vs $221 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 94% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $755 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 $2,201 in Mexico City and $1,132 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: $1,022 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 6% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $150 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $755 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone versus $1,467 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 94% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.