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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $523 in Tarlac City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $814 in Tarlac City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,104 in Tarlac City.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 217% more expensive than in Tarlac City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Tarlac City is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$1.94 ₱122

514.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$7.78 ₱488

563.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$2.72 ₱171

319.49%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.79 ₱112

122.91%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.49 ₱30.77

238.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.30 ₱18.95

343.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.02 ₱64.2

240.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$1.56 ₱97.7

278.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.61 ₱101

16.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.15 ₱71.9

182.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.02 ₱63.9

111.76%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.88 ₱118

54.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$4.94 ₱310

160.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$2.66 ₱167

277.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$6.11 ₱383

159.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$1.62 ₱101

103.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.59 ₱99.8

26.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.95 ₱123

12.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.04 ₱65.2

126.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.74 ₱109

17.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.21 ₱76.1

57.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.61 ₱38.25

163.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.50 ₱31.31

180.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.87 ₱180

90.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$3.81 ₱239

363.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$0.96 ₱60.3

114.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.53 ₱96.1

205.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.25 ₱15.73

36.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$8.21 ₱515

153.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.75 ₱47.32

180.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.25 ₱15.70

124.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$1.31 ₱82.4

343.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.08 ₱68.0

49.07%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$21.4K ₱1.3M

6.65%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$19.3K ₱1.2M

38.72%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$88.2 ₱5,534

-26.13%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$5.44 ₱341

453.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$23.40 ₱1,468

58.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$40.11 ₱2,516

48.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$16.16 ₱1,014

64.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.08 ₱319

38.58%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$131 ₱8,205

255.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$10.5K ₱661.4K

25.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$28.77 ₱1,804

163.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$19.79 ₱1,242

182.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$63.1 ₱3,955

77.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$47.80 ₱2,998

152.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$87.7 ₱5,503

1156.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$71.1 ₱4,460

913.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$250 ₱15.6K

913.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$167 ₱10.4K

676.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$376 ₱23.6K

962.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$290 ₱18.2K

621.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$215 ₱13.5K

383.59%

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 Tarlac City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $87.7 in Tarlac City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 384% 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 $8.00 in Tarlac City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $148 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 217% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $523 including rent). Tarlac City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 384% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $87.7 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 153% 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 $131 in Tarlac City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $523 in Tarlac City versus $1,660 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 217% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.