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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $624 in Tuguegarao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,017 in Tuguegarao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,411 in Tuguegarao.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 133% more expensive than in Tuguegarao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$1.82 ₱112

618.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$13.26 ₱818

305.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$2.59 ₱160

273.75%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$2.31 ₱142

61.90%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.52 ₱32.01

211.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.33 ₱20.59

251.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.43 ₱88.2

125.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$1.93 ₱119

145.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.83 ₱113

-9.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.25 ₱77.1

120.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$0.78 ₱47.89

139.74%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.20 ₱136

13.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$6.39 ₱394

59.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$3.84 ₱237

114.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$8.45 ₱521

39.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.65 ₱163

13.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.83 ₱113

-1.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$2.29 ₱141

-12.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.20 ₱74.1

66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.83 ₱113

13.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$2.28 ₱140

-0.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.67 ₱41.07

117.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.71 ₱43.82

52.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$2.09 ₱129

108.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$8.76 ₱540

93.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.06 ₱65.5

63.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.36 ₱146

51.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.26 ₱15.91

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.92 ₱56.6

44.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.22 ₱13.48

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$2.42 ₱149

116.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.10 ₱68.0

21.82%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$32.3K ₱2.0M

-39.98%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

16.24%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$34.77 ₱2,144

17.03%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$17.94 ₱1,106

49.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$26.25 ₱1,619

16.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$33.76 ₱2,082

56.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$4.49 ₱277

493.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$5.68 ₱350

14.61%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$151 ₱9,304

183.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$4,781 ₱294.8K

119.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$48.24 ₱2,975

18.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$27.50 ₱1,696

65.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$44.13 ₱2,722

135.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$27.10 ₱1,671

297.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$270 ₱16.6K

271.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$176 ₱10.8K

254.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$593 ₱36.6K

255.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$401 ₱24.7K

204.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$211 ₱13.0K

391.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.5

152.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tuguegarao: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $270 in Tuguegarao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 392% 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 $13.00 in Tuguegarao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $195 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 133% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $624 including rent). Tuguegarao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 392% 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 $270 in Tuguegarao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $151 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 $13.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $624 in Tuguegarao versus $1,456 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 133% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.