🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $845 in Pangasinan versus $1,484 in Mexico City.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,252 in Pangasinan versus $2,381 in Mexico City.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,658 in Pangasinan versus $3,278 in Mexico City.
🙂Living in Pangasinan costs roughly 43% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Pangasinan is 37% below, Mexico City is 11% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pangasinan
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.35₱83.3
$12.98MX$227
-89.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.91₱920
$53.1MX$929
-71.91%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.03₱187
$9.72MX$170
-68.83%
Cappuccino
$0.94₱57.9
$3.75MX$65.6
-74.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46₱28.39
$1.57MX$27.46
-70.70%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26₱16.01
$1.13MX$19.76
-76.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.36₱83.6
$3.18MX$55.7
-57.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16₱133
$4.66MX$81.6
-53.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pangasinan
Mexico City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.21₱74.6
$1.62MX$28.37
-25.31%
White Bread(500g)
$0.93₱57.3
$2.71MX$47.36
-65.68%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.83₱51.0
$1.88MX$32.89
-55.85%
Eggs
$2.27₱140
$2.51MX$43.90
-9.56%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.92₱489
$10.08MX$176
-21.43%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.38₱270
$8.29MX$145
-47.17%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.74₱478
$11.94MX$209
-35.18%
Apples(1kg)
$4.46₱275
$2.86MX$50.1
55.94%
Banana(1kg)
$2.00₱123
$1.75MX$30.62
14.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.59₱160
$2.08MX$36.48
24.52%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.28₱141
$1.97MX$34.46
15.74%
Potato(1kg)
$3.39₱209
$2.16MX$37.79
56.94%
Onion(1kg)
$2.84₱175
$2.18MX$38.16
30.28%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13₱69.6
$1.39MX$24.34
-18.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.00₱62.0
$1.12MX$19.69
-10.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.96₱182
$4.20MX$73.5
-29.52%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.04₱496
$14.25MX$249
-43.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.25₱77.1
$1.76MX$30.85
-28.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30₱142
$3.68MX$64.5
-37.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Pangasinan
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.28₱17.43
$0.39MX$6.74
-28.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$18.66MX$327
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₱47.37
$1.39MX$24.26
-44.60%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.13₱7.73
$0.30MX$5.32
-56.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.50₱216
$5.42MX$94.9
-35.42%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.11₱68.4
$1.35MX$23.63
-17.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.3K₱2.1M
$18.9KMX$330.5K
76.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.1K₱1.4M
$23.2KMX$405.2K
-4.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pangasinan
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$173₱10.7K
$40.82MX$714
323.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.91₱1,660
$27.50MX$481
-2.15%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.75₱2,205
$30.38MX$532
17.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pangasinan
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.68₱2,077
$53.4MX$935
-36.96%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.50₱278
$26.30MX$460
-82.89%
Cinema Ticket
$8.01₱494
$6.27MX$110
27.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pangasinan
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$153₱9,446
$436MX$7,632
-64.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,366₱269.3K
$10.5KMX$183.2K
-58.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pangasinan
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.6₱3,741
$56.8MX$993
6.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.42₱2,185
$44.79MX$784
-20.92%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.7₱5,226
$103MX$1,799
-17.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$53.4₱3,291
$108MX$1,888
-50.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pangasinan
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$271₱16.7K
$1,000MX$17.5K
-72.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$180₱11.1K
$620MX$10.9K
-70.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$588₱36.3K
$2,137MX$37.4K
-72.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$400₱24.7K
$1,235MX$21.6K
-67.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,066₱127.5K
$3,865MX$67.6K
-46.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,332MX$40.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pangasinan
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$1,067MX$18.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.67
11.34
-41.18%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Pangasinan: April 25, 2026
Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $271 in Pangasinan and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $15.00 in Pangasinan vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $286 per month, with Pangasinan 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
Pangasinan vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Pangasinan and Mexico City?
Pangasinan and Mexico City differ by about 76% in total monthly costs ($845 vs $1,484 including rent). Pangasinan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Pangasinan compared to Mexico City?
You'd need roughly $1,268 in Pangasinan and $2,225 in Mexico City 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Pangasinan and Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $271 in Pangasinan versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Pangasinan and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $153 in Pangasinan versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Pangasinan – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $845 in Pangasinan versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pangasinan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Pangasinan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Pangasinan and Mexico City?
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.
Where should expats move: Pangasinan or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Pangasinan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Pangasinan vs other spots: cost of living compared