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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $698 in Olongapo versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,040 in Olongapo versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,381 in Olongapo versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Olongapo costs roughly 52% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Olongapo is 48% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.49 ₱215

$13.18 MX$228

-73.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.38 ₱825

$53.9 MX$932

-75.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.61 ₱161

$9.42 MX$163

-72.29%

Cappuccino

$2.46 ₱151

$3.55 MX$61.4

-30.70%

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

$0.69 ₱42.27

$1.62 MX$27.98

-57.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.77

$1.11 MX$19.27

-63.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 ₱88.9

$3.12 MX$54.0

-53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₱101

$4.63 MX$80.1

-64.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱118

$1.70 MX$29.43

12.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 ₱26.07

$2.72 MX$47.02

-84.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 ₱52.2

$1.91 MX$33.07

-55.50%

Eggs

$2.19 ₱135

$2.54 MX$43.86

-13.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.15 ₱564

$10.03 MX$174

-8.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.77 ₱171

$8.09 MX$140

-65.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.71 ₱537

$11.62 MX$201

-25.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ₱170

$2.97 MX$51.3

-7.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ₱63.8

$1.81 MX$31.24

-43.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 ₱145

$2.01 MX$34.82

16.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$2.03 MX$35.20

-40.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 ₱116

$2.12 MX$36.75

-10.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 ₱135

$2.27 MX$39.25

-3.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ₱42.36

$1.40 MX$24.22

-50.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱25.82

$1.13 MX$19.55

-62.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ₱199

$4.27 MX$73.9

-24.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.65 ₱534

$15.56 MX$269

-44.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ₱63.1

$1.76 MX$30.39

-42.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₱143

$3.60 MX$62.2

-35.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₱12.31

$0.38 MX$6.62

-47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.94 ₱1,106

$19.18 MX$332

-6.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ₱53.0

$1.38 MX$23.79

-37.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.56

$0.28 MX$4.78

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ₱145

$5.45 MX$94.2

-56.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱68.8

$1.30 MX$22.55

-14.62%

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

$31.5K ₱1.9M

$18.7K MX$323.2K

68.64%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$23.1K MX$400.1K

-10.84%

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

$146 ₱9,025

$40.86 MX$707

258.22%

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

$35.09 ₱2,164

$26.81 MX$464

30.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.68 ₱1,645

$29.96 MX$518

-10.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.26 ₱941

$52.0 MX$900

-70.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.19 ₱320

$26.84 MX$464

-80.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.36 ₱269

$6.30 MX$109

-30.79%

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

$87.7 ₱5,409

$436 MX$7,544

-79.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,814 ₱296.9K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-53.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.21 ₱3,034

$56.7 MX$980

-13.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.28 ₱1,682

$44.38 MX$768

-38.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,722

$103 MX$1,780

-25.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.15 ₱2,846

$106 MX$1,825

-56.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$124 ₱7,668

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-87.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.0 ₱5,547

$631 MX$10.9K

-85.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₱16.1K

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-87.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 ₱11.1K

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-85.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$320 ₱19.7K

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-84.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$136 ₱8,363

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-87.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.34

-60.32%

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

Last update for Olongapo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $124 in Olongapo and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 722% 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: $13.00 in Olongapo vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $288 per month, with Olongapo 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

Olongapo vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Olongapo and Mexico City differ by about 110% in total monthly costs ($698 vs $1,467 including rent). Olongapo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 722% less. 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: $124 in Olongapo versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Olongapo runs roughly 7% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $87.7 in Olongapo versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $698 in Olongapo versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Olongapo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Olongapo 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, Olongapo and Mexico City 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 Olongapo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.