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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $751 in Zamboanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,086 in Zamboanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,421 in Zamboanga.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 94% more expensive than in Zamboanga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Zamboanga is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$1.50 ₱92.1

771.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$10.04 ₱618

435.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$2.72 ₱167

255.88%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.74 ₱107

114.94%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.91 ₱55.8

78.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.42 ₱25.61

176.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.27 ₱78.1

154.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$1.66 ₱102

185.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.94 ₱120

-14.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$1.58 ₱97.4

74.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.29 ₱79.7

44.96%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.70 ₱105

47.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$11.30 ₱696

-9.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$4.49 ₱276

83.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$3.53 ₱217

234.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$3.50 ₱215

-14.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.36 ₱83.6

33.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$4.14 ₱255

-51.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$2.61 ₱161

-23.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$1.39 ₱85.3

49.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$2.77 ₱170

-18.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.92 ₱56.5

58.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.53 ₱32.66

103.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$3.11 ₱191

39.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$4.34 ₱267

291.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.41 ₱87.1

22.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.28 ₱140

57.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.22 ₱13.51

77.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$0.85 ₱52.2

56.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.22 ₱13.48

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$2.19 ₱135

139.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.21 ₱74.8

10.74%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$26.3K ₱1.6M

-26.16%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

16.93%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$165 ₱10.1K

-75.31%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$47.18 ₱2,904

-43.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$52.6 ₱3,240

-42.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$40.51 ₱2,494

30.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$4.45 ₱274

498.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$7.00 ₱431

-7.00%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$52.8 ₱3,252

710.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$1,218 ₱75.0K

762.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$24.98 ₱1,538

129.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$26.13 ₱1,609

74.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$88.1 ₱5,426

18.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$61.7 ₱3,800

74.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$140 ₱8,588

619.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$70.4 ₱4,332

785.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$378 ₱23.3K

457.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$142 ₱8,721

759.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$2,755 ₱169.6K

40.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$941 ₱58.0K

115.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$194 ₱11.9K

435.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-5.50%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Zamboanga: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $140 in Zamboanga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 436% 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 $10.00 in Zamboanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $209 per month, with Zamboanga 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 Zamboanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Zamboanga differ by about 94% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $751 including rent). Zamboanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 436% 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 $140 in Zamboanga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $52.8 in Zamboanga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zamboanga – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $751 in Zamboanga versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zamboanga but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Zamboanga 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.

Expats usually find Zamboanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.