Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacloban and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Tacloban: $773 a month against $1,567 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Tacloban
🇵🇭 Philippines
$773
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,567
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tacloban and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tacloban and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $773 in Tacloban versus $1,567 in Mexico City.

  • Tacloban $773
  • Mexico City $1,567

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,160 in Tacloban versus $2,450 in Mexico City.

  • Tacloban $1,160
  • Mexico City $2,450

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,548 in Tacloban versus $3,333 in Mexico City.

  • Tacloban $1,548
  • Mexico City $3,333

Living in Tacloban costs roughly 51% less than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tacloban is 43% below, Mexico City is 16% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tacloban
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.06 ₱193
$10.75 MX$199
-71.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.80 ₱995
$50.3 MX$929
-68.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.36 ₱149
$11.10 MX$205
-78.74%
Cappuccino
$2.41 ₱152
$3.68 MX$68.1
-34.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 ₱41.55
$1.65 MX$30.42
-60.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ₱23.54
$1.30 MX$24.08
-71.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.56 ₱98.2
$3.32 MX$61.3
-53.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 ₱139
$5.54 MX$102
-60.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tacloban
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.03 ₱128
$1.77 MX$32.68
14.69%
White Bread (500g)
$1.17 ₱73.9
$3.05 MX$56.4
-61.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.90 ₱56.7
$2.01 MX$37.20
-55.22%
Eggs
$1.95 ₱123
$2.77 MX$51.1
-29.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.00 ₱629
$11.91 MX$220
-16.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.34 ₱273
$9.33 MX$172
-53.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.20 ₱453
$15.02 MX$278
-52.06%
Apples (1kg)
$3.47 ₱218
$3.08 MX$56.8
12.66%
Banana (1kg)
$1.10 ₱69.0
$1.95 MX$35.97
-43.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.32 ₱146
$2.03 MX$37.54
14.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.48 ₱93.5
$2.21 MX$40.92
-33.03%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 ₱149
$2.02 MX$37.41
16.83%
Onion (1kg)
$1.92 ₱121
$1.82 MX$33.67
5.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 ₱71.9
$1.52 MX$28.07
-25.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.64 ₱40.22
$1.28 MX$23.65
-50.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.95 ₱123
$5.27 MX$97.4
-63.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.23 ₱392
$16.12 MX$298
-61.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 ₱71.0
$1.95 MX$36.05
-42.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 ₱104
$4.25 MX$78.6
-60.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Tacloban
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 ₱17.05
$0.31 MX$5.82
-12.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.05 ₱696
$19.85 MX$367
-44.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.78 ₱49.11
$2.00 MX$36.93
-61.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.23 ₱14.54
$0.53 MX$9.86
-56.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.87 ₱118
$5.62 MX$104
-66.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 ₱62.1
$1.52 MX$28.07
-34.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ₱1.3M
$21.0K MX$388.7K
0.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K ₱1.2M
$25.2K MX$465.3K
-22.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tacloban
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 ₱7,542
$62.5 MX$1,155
91.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.07 ₱886
$28.77 MX$532
-51.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.83 ₱1,752
$34.45 MX$637
-19.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tacloban
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.70 ₱2,059
$57.1 MX$1,055
-42.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.69 ₱295
$24.81 MX$458
-81.10%
Cinema Ticket
$5.73 ₱361
$6.67 MX$123
-14.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tacloban
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$134 ₱8,419
$431 MX$7,964
-68.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,021 ₱505.0K
$11.7K MX$216.9K
-31.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tacloban
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.68 ₱2,057
$70.8 MX$1,308
-53.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.29 ₱1,214
$51.8 MX$958
-62.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.2 ₱4,797
$109 MX$2,011
-30.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.1 ₱3,597
$112 MX$2,076
-49.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tacloban
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$263 ₱16.5K
$1,051 MX$19.4K
-74.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$191 ₱12.0K
$665 MX$12.3K
-71.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$523 ₱32.9K
$2,346 MX$43.3K
-77.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$360 ₱22.7K
$1,227 MX$22.7K
-70.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,393 ₱150.6K
$3,554 MX$65.7K
-32.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$976 ₱61.5K
$1,977 MX$36.5K
-50.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tacloban
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$347 ₱21.9K
$975 MX$18.0K
-64.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.2
11.3
-36.28%

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

Last update for Tacloban: October 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Tacloban
$202
Mexico City
$323 59.8% $121
Accommodation & Living
Tacloban
$191
Mexico City
$665 248% $474
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tacloban
$162
Mexico City
$126 22.3% $36
Clothing & Footwear
Tacloban
$83
Mexico City
$155 85.5% $71
Eating Out
Tacloban
$77
Mexico City
$203 164% $126
Sport & Entertainment
Tacloban
$44
Mexico City
$70 59.5% $26
Getting Around
Tacloban
$14
Mexico City
$26 83.2% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $263 in Tacloban and $1,051 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 180% 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: $16.00 in Tacloban vs $50.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $323 per month, with Tacloban cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Tacloban
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
01:42 1:42 AM
11:42 11:42 AM
14 h behind Tacloban
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
242,089
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tacloban Mexico City 14,100 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tacloban
  • Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Tacloban vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Tacloban and in Mexico City?
Tacloban and Mexico City differ by about 103% in total monthly costs ($773 vs $1,567 including rent). Tacloban is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 180% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Tacloban and in Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $263 in Tacloban versus $1,051 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Tacloban and in Mexico City?
A monthly transit pass in Tacloban runs roughly 80% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Tacloban and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $134 in Tacloban versus $431 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $773 in Tacloban versus $1,567 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tacloban but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tacloban the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Tacloban 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: Tacloban or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Tacloban gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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