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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $725 in Surigao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,116 in Surigao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,507 in Surigao.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 129% more expensive than in Surigao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Surigao is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$3.65 ₱229

226.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$18.21 ₱1,141

183.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$2.83 ₱177

303.18%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$1.94 ₱122

105.67%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.62 ₱38.64

167.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.36 ₱22.81

269.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$1.17 ₱73.3

196.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$1.70 ₱107

247.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.69 ₱106

11.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$1.16 ₱72.4

180.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$0.96 ₱59.9

125.00%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$1.88 ₱118

54.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$5.17 ₱324

148.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.23 ₱265

137.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$7.16 ₱449

121.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$2.39 ₱150

37.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.61 ₱101

24.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$2.03 ₱127

8.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$1.29 ₱81.1

82.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$2.15 ₱135

-4.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$2.16 ₱135

-12.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.75 ₱47.10

114.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.49 ₱30.69

185.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$2.89 ₱181

88.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$8.96 ₱561

96.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$0.81 ₱50.9

154.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$1.69 ₱106

176.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.25 ₱15.51

36.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$9.46 ₱593

119.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$0.73 ₱46.02

187.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$0.26 ₱16.39

115.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$1.94 ₱121

199.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.19 ₱74.8

35.29%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

11.68%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$18.6K ₱1.2M

43.87%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$120 ₱7,514

-45.64%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$13.92 ₱872

116.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$34.49 ₱2,162

7.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$34.00 ₱2,130

75.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$5.24 ₱329

406.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.38 ₱337

30.86%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$115 ₱7,234

302.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$9,128 ₱572.0K

45.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$33.87 ₱2,122

124.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$21.55 ₱1,350

159.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$77.7 ₱4,872

43.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$54.5 ₱3,418

120.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$270 ₱16.9K

308.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$171 ₱10.7K

321.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$518 ₱32.5K

387.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$316 ₱19.8K

309.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$2,613 ₱163.8K

52.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$1,179 ₱73.9K

77.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

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 Surigao: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $270 in Surigao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $18.00 in Surigao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $179 per month, with Surigao 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 Surigao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Surigao differ by about 129% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $725 including rent). Surigao 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 $1,087 in Surigao 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 $270 in Surigao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Surigao runs roughly 120% 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 $115 in Surigao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $725 in Surigao versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Surigao but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Surigao 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 Surigao 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 Surigao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.