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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,108 in Philipsburg versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,697 in Philipsburg versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,287 in Philipsburg versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Philipsburg is roughly 109% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Philipsburg 132% above, Mexico City 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.94 ANG 26.75

$12.98 MX$226

15.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 ANG 132

$53.1 MX$923

39.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 ANG 14.41

$9.72 MX$169

-17.18%

Cappuccino

$4.31 ANG 7.72

$3.75 MX$65.2

14.93%

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

$3.04 ANG 5.44

$1.57 MX$27.30

93.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ANG 6.76

$1.13 MX$19.64

234.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 ANG 5.21

$3.18 MX$55.3

-8.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 ANG 8.81

$4.66 MX$81.1

5.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.93 ANG 5.24

$1.62 MX$28.21

80.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 ANG 5.44

$2.71 MX$47.09

12.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 ANG 5.46

$1.88 MX$32.70

62.23%

Eggs

$6.37 ANG 11.41

$2.51 MX$43.65

153.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.65 ANG 33.38

$10.08 MX$175

85.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.98 ANG 30.39

$8.29 MX$144

104.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.82 ANG 35.48

$11.94 MX$208

66.00%

Apples (1kg)

$6.08 ANG 10.89

$2.86 MX$49.77

112.59%

Banana (1kg)

$6.06 ANG 10.85

$1.75 MX$30.45

246.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$9.05 ANG 16.20

$2.08 MX$36.27

335.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.19 ANG 11.08

$1.97 MX$34.27

214.21%

Potato (1kg)

$4.09 ANG 7.32

$2.16 MX$37.58

89.35%

Onion (1kg)

$4.11 ANG 7.35

$2.18 MX$37.94

88.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.42 ANG 7.90

$1.39 MX$24.20

217.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ANG 3.49

$1.12 MX$19.57

74.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.97 ANG 14.27

$4.20 MX$73.1

89.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 ANG 19.44

$14.25 MX$248

-23.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 ANG 5.86

$1.76 MX$30.68

86.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ANG 5.16

$3.68 MX$64.1

-21.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 ANG 2.60

$0.39 MX$6.71

274.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.75 ANG 26.41

$1.39 MX$24.12

961.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.88 ANG 8.74

$0.30 MX$5.29

1526.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 ANG 2.44

$1.35 MX$23.50

1.48%

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

$18.9K MX$328.6K

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

$23.2K MX$402.8K

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

$224 ANG 402

$40.82 MX$710

449.66%

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

$32.93 ANG 59.0

$27.50 MX$479

19.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.0 ANG 127

$30.38 MX$529

133.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.5 ANG 112

$53.4 MX$930

16.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$13.22 ANG 23.66

$6.27 MX$109

110.85%

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

$369 ANG 661

$436 MX$7,588

-15.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ANG 20.3K

$10.5K MX$182.1K

8.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$988

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$779

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,789

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 ANG 3,557

$1,000 MX$17.4K

98.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,875 ANG 3,356

$620 MX$10.8K

202.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,720 ANG 10.2K

$2,137 MX$37.2K

167.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,597 ANG 10.0K

$1,235 MX$21.5K

353.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ANG 5,289

$3,865 MX$67.3K

-23.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,102 ANG 1,973

$1,067 MX$18.6K

3.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

11.34

-49.29%

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

Last update for Philipsburg: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,987 in Philipsburg and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Philipsburg pays 3% 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: $74.0 in Philipsburg vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $537 vs $286 per month, with Mexico City 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

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

Philipsburg and Mexico City differ by about 109% in total monthly costs ($3,108 vs $1,484 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Philipsburg pays 3% more on average, 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: $1,987 in Philipsburg versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $369 in Philipsburg versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $74.0 in Philipsburg. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $3,108 in Philipsburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Philipsburg. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Philipsburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.