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: $892 in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $835 in Davao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,379 in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $1,279 in Davao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $1,722 in Davao.

Living in San Cristobal de las Casas is roughly 7% more expensive than in Davao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: San Cristobal de las Casas 33% lower, Davao 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.22 MX$91.3

$4.54 ₱279

14.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.65 MX$466

$23.96 ₱1,475

11.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 MX$104

$4.64 ₱286

28.02%

Cappuccino

$2.33 MX$40.70

$2.06 ₱127

13.11%

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

$1.63 MX$28.53

$0.87 ₱53.3

87.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$17.36

$0.54 ₱32.95

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 MX$42.58

$1.41 ₱86.5

73.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$85.7

$1.72 ₱106

184.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 MX$24.30

$1.68 ₱103

-17.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 MX$51.0

$1.22 ₱75.0

139.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MX$26.91

$0.96 ₱59.4

60.42%

Eggs

$3.43 MX$60.0

$2.06 ₱127

66.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 MX$121

$6.20 ₱382

11.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.09 MX$71.5

$4.60 ₱283

-11.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.87 MX$120

$7.43 ₱457

-7.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 MX$55.6

$2.88 ₱177

10.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.91

$1.14 ₱70.4

70.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$2.41 ₱148

-27.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.46

$1.42 ₱87.3

2.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 MX$28.92

$2.22 ₱137

-25.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 MX$24.85

$3.15 ₱194

-54.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 MX$25.09

$1.31 ₱80.7

9.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.29

$0.61 ₱37.28

118.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$2.71 ₱167

-30.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.72 MX$187

$8.29 ₱510

29.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 MX$34.27

$1.41 ₱86.6

39.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 MX$39.30

$1.57 ₱96.4

43.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.53

$0.22 ₱13.45

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.18 MX$458

$14.45 ₱890

81.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 MX$46.69

$0.90 ₱55.5

196.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.59

$0.25 ₱15.47

896.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 MX$145

$2.10 ₱129

294.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.95

$1.09 ₱66.9

20.18%

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

$16.1K MX$281.3K

$22.0K ₱1.4M

-26.84%

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

$22.6K MX$394.7K

$21.0K ₱1.3M

7.53%

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

$33.07 MX$578

$105 ₱6,463

-68.50%

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

$19.79 MX$346

$33.78 ₱2,080

-41.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.64 MX$343

$35.75 ₱2,201

-45.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.50 MX$376

$41.25 ₱2,539

-47.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.16 MX$283

$4.34 ₱267

272.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 MX$115

$4.40 ₱271

49.09%

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

$198 MX$3,461

$119 ₱7,315

66.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,513 MX$43.9K

$7,829 ₱482.0K

-67.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.01 MX$455

$65.6 ₱4,040

-60.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.61 MX$553

$29.82 ₱1,836

6.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 MX$1,456

$77.8 ₱4,792

7.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.5 MX$883

$69.4 ₱4,273

-27.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 MX$7,463

$321 ₱19.8K

32.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 MX$5,267

$183 ₱11.3K

64.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 MX$15.0K

$816 ₱50.2K

5.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 MX$8,839

$361 ₱22.2K

40.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$865 MX$15.1K

$1,621 ₱99.8K

-46.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$679 MX$11.9K

$1,447 ₱89.1K

-53.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$426 MX$7,445

$220 ₱13.5K

93.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.33

9.56

8.05%

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

Last update for San Cristobal de las Casas: July 12, 2026

Last update for Davao: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $427 in San Cristobal de las Casas and $321 in Davao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Cristobal de las Casas pays 94% 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: $27.00 in San Cristobal de las Casas vs $24.00 in Davao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 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 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 94% 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: $427 in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $321 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 $24.00 versus $27.00 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 $892 per month in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $835 in Davao – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $835 in Davao versus $892 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 7% less than in San Cristobal de las Casas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.