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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $447 in Tuguegarao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $733 in Tuguegarao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,018 in Tuguegarao.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 275% more expensive than in Tuguegarao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Tuguegarao is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$1.56 ₱98.0

678.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$16.89 ₱1,059

219.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$2.79 ₱175

297.49%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$1.85 ₱116

121.62%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.47 ₱29.35

257.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.28 ₱17.46

396.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$1.01 ₱63.5

229.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$1.55 ₱97.4

279.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.63 ₱102

13.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.17 ₱73.1

170.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$0.74 ₱46.31

179.73%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.00 ₱125

46.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$5.23 ₱328

140.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$3.52 ₱221

187.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$7.77 ₱487

107.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.23 ₱140

52.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.59 ₱99.8

30.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$2.44 ₱153

-13.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.04 ₱65.1

131.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.76 ₱110

21.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.76 ₱110

14.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.61 ₱38.18

154.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.53 ₱32.93

156.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$1.89 ₱118

205.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$8.69 ₱545

104.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$0.89 ₱56.0

132.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.06 ₱129

123.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$0.77 ₱48.06

166.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.23 ₱14.33

152.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$1.89 ₱119

221.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.14 ₱71.6

35.96%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$21.4K ₱1.3M

7.09%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$19.2K ₱1.2M

42.03%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$32.48 ₱2,036

107.54%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$17.60 ₱1,103

73.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$23.04 ₱1,444

61.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$24.27 ₱1,522

153.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$4.69 ₱294

478.25%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$5.24 ₱329

35.69%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$134 ₱8,397

240.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$10.9K ₱680.6K

26.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$29.00 ₱1,818

155.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$19.17 ₱1,202

197.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$39.31 ₱2,465

193.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$23.81 ₱1,492

410.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$127 ₱7,966

803.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$62.6 ₱3,922

1033.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$188 ₱11.8K

1271.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$129 ₱8,101

902.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$205 ₱12.9K

427.88%

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 6, 2026

Last update for Tuguegarao: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $127 in Tuguegarao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 428% 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 $17.00 in Tuguegarao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $175 per month, with Tuguegarao 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 Tuguegarao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tuguegarao differ by about 275% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $447 including rent). Tuguegarao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 428% 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $127 in Tuguegarao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $134 in Tuguegarao. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tuguegarao – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $447 in Tuguegarao versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tuguegarao but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tuguegarao 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 Tuguegarao 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 Tuguegarao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 275% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.