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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $619 in Tagbilaran City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $999 in Tagbilaran City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,378 in Tagbilaran City.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 166% more expensive than in Tagbilaran City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Tagbilaran City is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$204

$3.01 ₱188

302.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$881

$17.53 ₱1,098

197.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$2.80 ₱176

289.29%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.4

$2.57 ₱161

57.59%

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

$1.72 MX$28.95

$0.92 ₱57.3

86.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.25

$0.42 ₱26.33

228.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.5

$0.82 ₱51.5

323.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.1

$2.21 ₱138

162.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.28

$1.56 ₱97.8

18.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.4

$1.01 ₱63.3

218.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.20

$0.89 ₱55.9

134.83%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.10

$1.80 ₱113

61.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$9.88 ₱619

26.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$4.56 ₱286

121.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$268

$7.44 ₱466

113.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$2.82 ₱177

17.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.90

$1.35 ₱84.8

57.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.97

$2.31 ₱144

-5.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.31

$1.56 ₱97.9

57.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.95

$2.45 ₱153

-10.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.15

$1.90 ₱119

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.26

$0.65 ₱40.52

149.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.78

$0.50 ₱31.02

170.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.6

$2.39 ₱150

127.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$6.23 ₱390

182.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.90

$0.93 ₱58.5

122.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.1

$1.07 ₱66.9

343.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$0.50 ₱31.32

-32.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.44

$0.75 ₱47.23

172.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.75

$0.21 ₱13.14

176.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$4.38 ₱274

36.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.27

$1.08 ₱67.6

50.00%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

$21.8K ₱1.4M

4.40%

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

$26.7K MX$450.0K

$19.7K ₱1.2M

35.51%

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

$65.2 MX$1,101

$79.3 ₱4,963

-17.69%

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

$29.87 MX$504

$14.82 ₱928

101.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$617

$25.23 ₱1,580

44.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,030

$11.18 ₱700

445.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$3.29 ₱206

711.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$3.56 ₱223

92.42%

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

$453 MX$7,652

$277 ₱17.3K

63.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$225.7K

$8,083 ₱506.1K

65.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,265

$38.16 ₱2,390

96.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$933

$17.97 ₱1,126

207.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,917

$65.8 ₱4,117

72.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,070

$58.7 ₱3,679

108.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.1K

$196 ₱12.3K

479.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$141 ₱8,808

406.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$481 ₱30.1K

434.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.1K

$341 ₱21.3K

284.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.4K

$806 ₱50.5K

395.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$480 ₱30.1K

336.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$176 ₱11.0K

495.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

7.2

56.94%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Tagbilaran City: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $196 in Tagbilaran City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 495% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $18.00 in Tagbilaran City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $189 per month, with Tagbilaran City 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 Tagbilaran City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tagbilaran City differ by about 166% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $619 including rent). Tagbilaran City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 495% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $196 in Tagbilaran City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $277 in Tagbilaran City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tagbilaran City – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $619 in Tagbilaran City versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tagbilaran City but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tagbilaran City 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 Tagbilaran City 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 Tagbilaran City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 166% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.