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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $631 in Tarlac City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $948 in Tarlac City.

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

Living in Mexico City is roughly 131% more expensive than in Tarlac City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Tarlac City is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$2.64 ₱163

395.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$15.13 ₱933

255.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$3.65 ₱225

165.21%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.63 ₱101

129.45%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.88 ₱54.1

84.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.26 ₱15.90

346.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$0.96 ₱59.2

236.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$1.76 ₱108

169.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.63 ₱101

1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.47 ₱90.6

87.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$0.99 ₱61.0

88.89%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.05 ₱126

21.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$9.11 ₱562

11.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$3.23 ₱199

155.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$6.14 ₱379

92.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.90 ₱179

3.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.61 ₱99.1

12.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$2.10 ₱129

-4.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.52 ₱94.0

31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.37 ₱84.4

51.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.13 ₱69.4

100.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.92 ₱56.8

58.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.88 ₱54.4

22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$2.87 ₱177

51.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$3.88 ₱240

337.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$0.77 ₱47.24

124.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$1.52 ₱93.8

135.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.26 ₱15.88

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$8.14 ₱502

129.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.79 ₱48.65

68.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.24 ₱14.83

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$2.11 ₱130

148.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.17 ₱72.3

14.53%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$28.8K ₱1.8M

-32.56%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$19.5K ₱1.2M

22.08%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$99.5 ₱6,139

-59.12%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$15.93 ₱982

68.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$26.64 ₱1,643

14.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$44.72 ₱2,758

18.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$17.70 ₱1,092

50.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$6.28 ₱387

3.66%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$170 ₱10.5K

152.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$14.4K ₱885.6K

-26.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$45.07 ₱2,780

27.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$26.21 ₱1,617

73.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$51.8 ₱3,194

100.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$37.47 ₱2,311

187.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$128 ₱7,895

683.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$100 ₱6,180

521.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$262 ₱16.1K

705.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$174 ₱10.7K

600.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$375 ₱23.1K

935.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$305 ₱18.8K

567.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$213 ₱13.1K

388.17%

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 Tarlac City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $128 in Tarlac City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 388% 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 $15.00 in Tarlac City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $181 per month, with Tarlac 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 Tarlac City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tarlac City differ by about 131% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $631 including rent). Tarlac City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 388% 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 $128 in Tarlac City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tarlac City runs roughly 130% 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 $170 in Tarlac City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $631 in Tarlac City versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tarlac City but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tarlac 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 Tarlac 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 Tarlac City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 131% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.