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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $677 in Vigan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,080 in Vigan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,482 in Vigan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 114% more expensive than Vigan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Vigan is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.47 ₱211

274.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$13.03 ₱791

303.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$1.82 ₱111

418.13%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.75 ₱106

104.00%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.65 ₱39.55

147.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.40 ₱24.50

187.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.23 ₱74.6

156.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$1.80 ₱109

170.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.90 ₱116

-10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.19 ₱72.3

121.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$0.73 ₱44.24

160.27%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.25 ₱137

12.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$8.77 ₱533

14.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.71 ₱225

123.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$7.57 ₱460

52.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.72 ₱165

11.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.65 ₱100.0

3.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.30 ₱140

-10.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.21 ₱73.2

70.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.63 ₱99.0

26.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.15 ₱130

0.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.73 ₱44.08

91.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.76 ₱46.31

47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.35 ₱143

82.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$8.74 ₱531

76.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.03 ₱62.6

62.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.72 ₱105

114.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.28 ₱17.19

35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.74 ₱44.93

86.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.18 ₱10.96

55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$2.41 ₱146

124.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.16 ₱70.3

10.34%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$14.0K ₱849.0K

35.75%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$16.0K ₱972.4K

46.50%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$52.3 ₱3,175

-21.55%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$34.62 ₱2,102

-22.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$25.80 ₱1,567

15.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$33.68 ₱2,045

55.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$4.41 ₱268

494.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$5.59 ₱340

10.55%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$35.46 ₱2,153

1104.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$4,684 ₱284.4K

128.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$49.46 ₱3,003

14.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$27.86 ₱1,692

60.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$62.9 ₱3,821

66.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$46.97 ₱2,852

125.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$268 ₱16.3K

270.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$175 ₱10.6K

254.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$597 ₱36.2K

256.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$392 ₱23.8K

219.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,484 ₱150.8K

57.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$960 ₱58.3K

118.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Vigan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $268 in Vigan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $13.00 in Vigan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $196 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 114% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $677 including rent). Vigan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $1,016 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $268 in Vigan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $35.46 in Vigan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Vigan – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $677 in Vigan versus $1,447 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 114% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.