Cost of Living Comparison Between Nueva Ecija and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Nueva Ecija and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $656 in Nueva Ecija versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,080 in Nueva Ecija versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,504 in Nueva Ecija versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Nueva Ecija costs roughly 55% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nueva Ecija is 51% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.32 ₱266

$13.07 MX$229

-66.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.99 ₱2,154

$53.8 MX$943

-34.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.27 ₱202

$9.68 MX$170

-66.22%

Cappuccino

$1.39 ₱85.8

$3.74 MX$65.6

-62.83%

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

$0.75 ₱46.40

$1.62 MX$28.34

-53.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₱20.78

$1.16 MX$20.37

-70.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 ₱52.8

$3.23 MX$56.6

-73.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₱140

$4.74 MX$83.1

-51.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.96 ₱182

$1.65 MX$28.89

79.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 ₱64.0

$2.75 MX$48.30

-62.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₱61.4

$1.87 MX$32.87

-46.52%

Eggs

$1.70 ₱105

$2.50 MX$43.86

-32.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 ₱500

$10.20 MX$179

-20.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.75 ₱231

$8.25 MX$145

-54.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.22 ₱383

$11.82 MX$207

-47.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 ₱257

$3.01 MX$52.8

38.87%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 ₱47.83

$1.81 MX$31.77

-56.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₱116

$2.00 MX$35.07

-6.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ₱114

$2.00 MX$35.00

-7.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 ₱102

$2.08 MX$36.56

-20.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 ₱135

$2.27 MX$39.85

-3.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 ₱147

$1.46 MX$25.55

63.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₱31.42

$1.08 MX$18.88

-52.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 ₱150

$4.35 MX$76.3

-43.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.38 ₱270

$16.99 MX$298

-74.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₱85.0

$1.73 MX$30.40

-20.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₱150

$3.58 MX$62.7

-31.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₱18.28

$0.39 MX$6.79

-23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.18 ₱380

$18.69 MX$328

-66.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.6

$1.33 MX$23.25

-36.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.52

$0.28 MX$4.91

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₱72.6

$5.25 MX$92.1

-77.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 ₱58.8

$1.34 MX$23.44

-29.10%

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

$18.0K ₱1.1M

$19.4K MX$340.5K

-7.32%

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

$23.4K ₱1.4M

$23.8K MX$418.0K

-1.77%

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

$87.8 ₱5,406

$40.69 MX$714

115.80%

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

$32.30 ₱1,989

$26.87 MX$471

20.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.32 ₱1,251

$30.51 MX$535

-33.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.02 ₱2,094

$52.8 MX$926

-35.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.44 ₱274

$26.65 MX$467

-83.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 ₱313

$6.51 MX$114

-21.97%

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

$151 ₱9,291

$428 MX$7,508

-64.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,361 ₱268.5K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-58.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.26 ₱2,848

$57.3 MX$1,004

-19.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.16 ₱2,103

$45.50 MX$798

-24.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 ₱4,168

$104 MX$1,825

-34.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₱7,145

$108 MX$1,891

7.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ₱7,754

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-87.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.5 ₱4,584

$623 MX$10.9K

-88.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 ₱12.1K

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-90.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 ₱8,671

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-88.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,433 ₱149.8K

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-37.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,072 ₱66.0K

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-47.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$197 ₱12.1K

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-81.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

11.34

-45.59%

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

Last update for Nueva Ecija: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $126 in Nueva Ecija and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 426% 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: $35.00 in Nueva Ecija vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $292 per month, with Nueva Ecija 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

Nueva Ecija vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nueva Ecija and Mexico City differ by about 122% in total monthly costs ($656 vs $1,456 including rent). Nueva Ecija is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 426% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $126 in Nueva Ecija versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nueva Ecija runs roughly 202% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $151 in Nueva Ecija versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $656 in Nueva Ecija versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nueva Ecija but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Nueva Ecija 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 Nueva Ecija gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.