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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $750 in Tagum City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,167 in Tagum City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,584 in Tagum City.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 94% more expensive than in Tagum City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Tagum City is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$3.46 ₱213

277.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$14.17 ₱872

279.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$3.70 ₱228

161.62%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.72 ₱106

117.44%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.82 ₱50.7

97.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.40 ₱24.42

190.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.30 ₱79.7

148.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$1.35 ₱83.2

251.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.89 ₱116

-12.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$1.21 ₱74.4

127.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$0.94 ₱58.1

98.94%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$2.05 ₱126

21.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.13 ₱501

25.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$4.13 ₱254

99.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$7.74 ₱476

52.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$2.97 ₱183

1.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.52 ₱93.7

19.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$2.62 ₱161

-23.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.53 ₱94.5

30.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$2.33 ₱143

-10.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$2.62 ₱161

-13.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$1.06 ₱65.4

37.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.71 ₱43.96

52.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$2.88 ₱178

51.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.15 ₱70.9

50.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.06 ₱127

73.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.28 ₱17.28

39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$0.77 ₱47.41

72.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.22 ₱13.51

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$2.16 ₱133

143.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.10 ₱67.6

21.82%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$26.8K ₱1.6M

-27.54%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$20.0K ₱1.2M

18.95%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$110 ₱6,797

-63.14%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$32.99 ₱2,031

-18.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$27.75 ₱1,708

9.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$34.31 ₱2,112

53.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$4.54 ₱280

487.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$5.79 ₱357

12.44%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$150 ₱9,259

184.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$4,355 ₱268.1K

141.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$44.99 ₱2,770

27.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$26.20 ₱1,613

73.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$76.7 ₱4,719

35.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$52.6 ₱3,236

105.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$267 ₱16.4K

276.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$177 ₱10.9K

251.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$596 ₱36.7K

254.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$395 ₱24.3K

208.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$209 ₱12.9K

396.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.67

70.01%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tagum City: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $267 in Tagum City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 397% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $14.00 in Tagum City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $188 per month, with Tagum 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 Tagum City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tagum City differ by about 94% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $750 including rent). Tagum City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 397% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $267 in Tagum City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $150 in Tagum City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tagum City – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $750 in Tagum City versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tagum City but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tagum 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 Tagum 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 Tagum City 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.