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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $731 in Zamboanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,099 in Zamboanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,467 in Zamboanga.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 127% more expensive than in Zamboanga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Zamboanga is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$1.32 ₱82.7

803.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$16.92 ₱1,061

204.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$3.51 ₱220

225.07%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$2.08 ₱130

91.83%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.87 ₱54.2

90.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.42 ₱26.50

216.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$1.46 ₱91.6

137.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$1.99 ₱125

196.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.73 ₱108

8.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$1.43 ₱89.5

127.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$1.11 ₱69.7

94.59%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$1.52 ₱95.0

90.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$10.08 ₱632

27.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.06 ₱254

147.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$3.16 ₱198

401.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$3.07 ₱192

7.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.17 ₱73.2

71.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$3.69 ₱231

-40.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$1.14 ₱71.3

107.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$1.18 ₱74.3

73.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$2.44 ₱153

-22.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.83 ₱52.0

93.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.50 ₱31.55

180.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$2.79 ₱175

95.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$4.11 ₱257

329.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$1.31 ₱82.1

57.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$1.96 ₱123

138.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.22 ₱13.80

54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$11.85 ₱743

75.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$0.77 ₱48.02

172.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$0.21 ₱13.16

166.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$1.67 ₱105

247.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$0.97 ₱60.9

65.98%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$20.6K ₱1.3M

10.72%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$18.5K ₱1.2M

44.48%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$122 ₱7,667

-46.72%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$14.78 ₱926

103.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$47.02 ₱2,947

-20.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$36.01 ₱2,257

65.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$4.65 ₱291

470.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.09 ₱319

38.31%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$131 ₱8,182

255.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$7,834 ₱490.9K

69.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$32.17 ₱2,016

135.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$18.84 ₱1,181

196.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$71.0 ₱4,448

57.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$54.5 ₱3,417

120.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$263 ₱16.5K

319.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$174 ₱10.9K

315.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$340 ₱21.3K

644.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$354 ₱22.2K

265.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$2,560 ₱160.4K

55.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$1,002 ₱62.8K

108.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$188 ₱11.8K

450.49%

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 Zamboanga: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $263 in Zamboanga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 450% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $17.00 in Zamboanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $181 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 127% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $731 including rent). Zamboanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 450% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $263 in Zamboanga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Zamboanga runs roughly 76% 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 Zamboanga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $731 in Zamboanga versus $1,660 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 127% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.