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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $736 in Vigan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,092 in Vigan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,448 in Vigan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 125% more expensive than in Vigan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Vigan is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$3.88 ₱244

207.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$16.63 ₱1,045

210.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$1.79 ₱112

537.43%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$1.76 ₱111

126.70%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$0.60 ₱37.45

176.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.33 ₱20.97

303.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

$1.04 ₱65.1

233.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$1.58 ₱99.2

273.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$1.59 ₱100

18.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$1.15 ₱72.2

182.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$1.03 ₱64.4

109.71%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$2.08 ₱131

39.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$5.15 ₱324

149.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.47 ₱218

189.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$7.81 ₱491

103.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$2.29 ₱144

43.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$1.60 ₱100

25.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.32 ₱146

-5.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$1.02 ₱64.1

131.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$1.72 ₱108

19.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$1.77 ₱111

7.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$0.67 ₱41.92

140.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.49 ₱31.00

185.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$2.92 ₱183

86.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.68 ₱545

103.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

$0.91 ₱57.0

126.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

$2.05 ₱129

128.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.26 ₱16.37

30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

$12.05 ₱757

72.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$0.78 ₱48.80

169.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.23 ₱14.35

143.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$1.89 ₱119

207.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.20 ₱75.5

34.17%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$21.5K ₱1.3M

6.45%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$19.5K ₱1.2M

36.88%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$140 ₱8,825

-53.60%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$17.18 ₱1,080

75.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$23.34 ₱1,467

59.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$30.92 ₱1,943

93.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

$5.22 ₱328

408.62%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.31 ₱334

32.58%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$131 ₱8,221

255.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$10.7K ₱674.6K

23.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$28.45 ₱1,787

166.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$19.51 ₱1,226

186.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$72.1 ₱4,527

55.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$54.7 ₱3,434

120.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$298 ₱18.7K

270.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$167 ₱10.5K

331.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$462 ₱29.0K

448.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$395 ₱24.8K

227.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

$2,579 ₱162.0K

54.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,164 ₱73.1K

79.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

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 Vigan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $298 in Vigan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $17.00 in Vigan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $175 per month, with Vigan 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 Vigan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Vigan differ by about 125% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $736 including rent). Vigan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $1,104 in Vigan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $298 in Vigan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Vigan runs roughly 73% 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 Vigan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $736 in Vigan versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Vigan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Vigan 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 Vigan 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 Vigan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.