Cost of Living Comparison Between San Cristobal de las Casas and Davao Cost of Living Comparison Between San Cristobal de las Casas and Davao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $968 in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $805 in Davao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,500 in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $1,239 in Davao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,032 in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $1,672 in Davao.

Living in San Cristobal de las Casas is roughly 20% more expensive than in Davao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Cristobal de las Casas 30% lower, Davao 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.83 MX$98.4

$4.95 ₱310

17.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.92 MX$505

$26.82 ₱1,680

11.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.62 MX$112

$3.98 ₱249

66.33%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MX$46.93

$2.71 ₱170

2.58%

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

$1.79 MX$30.20

$1.10 ₱68.9

62.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$18.99

$0.69 ₱43.37

63.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 MX$49.05

$1.63 ₱102

78.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$2.34 ₱146

48.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 MX$27.05

$1.94 ₱121

-17.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 MX$65.8

$1.10 ₱68.7

254.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$27.52

$0.91 ₱57.1

79.12%

Eggs

$2.55 MX$43.10

$1.93 ₱121

32.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.03 MX$119

$6.91 ₱433

1.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 MX$76.9

$4.24 ₱266

7.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.95 MX$117

$8.40 ₱526

-17.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 MX$59.5

$2.67 ₱167

32.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 MX$36.40

$1.07 ₱67.0

101.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 MX$39.27

$2.28 ₱143

2.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.20

$1.16 ₱72.7

28.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 MX$30.40

$2.11 ₱132

-14.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.04

$3.54 ₱222

-46.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 MX$31.39

$1.19 ₱74.5

56.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.23

$0.66 ₱41.13

153.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.03 MX$34.27

$2.42 ₱152

-16.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 MX$188

$7.93 ₱497

40.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$42.14

$1.24 ₱77.7

101.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 MX$35.31

$1.58 ₱98.7

32.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MX$9.76

$0.33 ₱20.59

75.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.69 MX$501

$13.43 ₱841

121.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$0.83 ₱51.7

263.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.92 MX$49.35

$0.23 ₱14.32

1169.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ₱119

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MX$25.16

$1.16 ₱72.4

28.45%

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

$19.8K MX$334.5K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

-6.55%

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

$19.2K ₱1.2M

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

$35.36 MX$597

$106 ₱6,654

-66.72%

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

$15.51 MX$262

$18.90 ₱1,183

-17.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.05 MX$372

$30.97 ₱1,939

-28.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.58 MX$415

$35.64 ₱2,232

-31.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.66 MX$416

$3.63 ₱227

579.34%

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 MX$126

$4.94 ₱309

51.62%

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

$223 MX$3,760

$107 ₱6,685

108.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,785 MX$47.0K

$7,664 ₱479.9K

-63.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.50 MX$346

$62.3 ₱3,901

-67.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.88 MX$504

$26.84 ₱1,681

11.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,728

$71.2 ₱4,458

43.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.6 MX$989

$61.9 ₱3,873

-5.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 MX$7,830

$282 ₱17.6K

64.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 MX$5,820

$169 ₱10.6K

103.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 MX$15.6K

$631 ₱39.5K

46.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$576 MX$9,715

$327 ₱20.5K

76.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$886 MX$15.0K

$1,618 ₱101.3K

-45.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$719 MX$12.1K

$1,423 ₱89.1K

-49.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$441 MX$7,448

$210 ₱13.1K

110.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.8

8.31

17.93%

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

Last update for San Cristobal de las Casas: September 1, 2026

Last update for Davao: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $464 in San Cristobal de las Casas and $282 in Davao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Cristobal de las Casas pays 110% 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: $30.00 in San Cristobal de las Casas vs $27.00 in Davao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $259 vs $195 per month, with Davao 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

San Cristobal de las Casas vs Davao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Davao is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 110% higher in San Cristobal de las Casas, 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: $464 in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $282 in Davao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Davao – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $30.00 in San Cristobal de las Casas. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $968 per month in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $805 in Davao – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $805 in Davao versus $968 in San Cristobal de las Casas, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Davao but tight or insufficient in San Cristobal de las Casas. The gap between the two cities makes Davao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Davao is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Cristobal de las Casas, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, San Cristobal de las Casas and Davao 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 Davao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in San Cristobal de las Casas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.