Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tarlac City and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Tarlac City: $523 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Tarlac City
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Tarlac City Living Index
78

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

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Tarlac City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$523

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tarlac City 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 Tarlac City and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $523 in Tarlac City versus $1,608 in Mexico City.

Tarlac City $523
Mexico City $1,608

Estimated couple costs with rent: $801 in Tarlac City versus $2,549 in Mexico City.

Tarlac City $801
Mexico City $2,549

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,080 in Tarlac City versus $3,490 in Mexico City.

Tarlac City $1,080
Mexico City $3,490

Living in Tarlac City costs roughly 67% less than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tarlac City is 62% below, Mexico City is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.99 ₱127

$10.62 MX$199

-81.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.94 ₱506

$48.35 MX$908

-83.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.67 ₱170

$10.35 MX$194

-74.20%

Cappuccino

$1.82 ₱116

$3.69 MX$69.3

-50.68%

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

$0.48 ₱30.74

$1.67 MX$31.29

-71.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₱19.16

$1.27 MX$23.76

-76.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 ₱60.7

$3.19 MX$59.9

-70.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₱100

$5.31 MX$99.6

-70.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ₱105

$1.72 MX$32.38

-4.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 ₱72.1

$3.04 MX$57.1

-62.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₱64.1

$1.94 MX$36.44

-47.94%

Eggs

$1.92 ₱123

$2.89 MX$54.2

-33.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.95 ₱315

$10.97 MX$206

-54.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.68 ₱171

$9.25 MX$174

-71.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.35 ₱405

$15.13 MX$284

-58.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 ₱100

$3.05 MX$57.2

-48.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱96.5

$1.94 MX$36.45

-22.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 ₱128

$2.03 MX$38.02

-0.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.9

$2.31 MX$43.46

-55.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 ₱109

$2.04 MX$38.21

-16.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ₱75.5

$1.80 MX$33.79

-33.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ₱41.82

$1.48 MX$27.77

-55.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₱33.34

$1.27 MX$23.80

-59.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₱189

$5.30 MX$99.6

-43.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.72 ₱237

$16.10 MX$302

-76.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₱57.0

$1.98 MX$37.23

-55.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₱97.1

$4.25 MX$79.8

-64.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱15.32

$0.31 MX$5.73

-22.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.05 ₱513

$19.73 MX$371

-59.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱47.51

$1.84 MX$34.50

-59.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.94

$0.53 MX$10.02

-58.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 ₱82.8

$5.30 MX$99.4

-75.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱71.0

$1.51 MX$28.36

-26.49%

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

$21.2K ₱1.4M

$21.8K MX$408.4K

-2.40%

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

$19.0K ₱1.2M

$24.0K MX$450.3K

-20.76%

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

$87.4 ₱5,568

$63.0 MX$1,182

38.74%

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

$5.34 ₱340

$27.39 MX$514

-80.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.23 ₱1,480

$35.67 MX$670

-34.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.36 ₱2,508

$58.9 MX$1,107

-33.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.91 ₱1,014

$23.64 MX$444

-32.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 ₱326

$6.40 MX$120

-20.16%

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

$130 ₱8,276

$432 MX$8,103

-69.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₱669.4K

$11.4K MX$214.5K

-8.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.72 ₱1,830

$68.2 MX$1,281

-57.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.79 ₱1,198

$53.1 MX$997

-64.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.0 ₱3,948

$108 MX$2,023

-42.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.50 ₱3,027

$117 MX$2,202

-59.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$87.2 ₱5,558

$1,113 MX$20.9K

-92.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$70.5 ₱4,495

$710 MX$13.3K

-90.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 ₱15.8K

$2,588 MX$48.6K

-90.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$163 ₱10.4K

$1,406 MX$26.4K

-88.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$370 ₱23.6K

$3,631 MX$68.2K

-89.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$284 ₱18.1K

$2,135 MX$40.1K

-86.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$208 ₱13.3K

$946 MX$17.8K

-78.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

11.35

-40.53%

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

Last update for Tarlac City: October 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Tarlac City

$148 28.4%

Mexico City

$320 19.9% 116% $171

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tarlac City

$116 22.2%

Mexico City

$126 7.8% 8.7% $10

Clothing & Footwear

Tarlac City

$71 13.5%

Mexico City

$156 9.7% 121% $85

Accommodation & Living

Tarlac City

$71 13.5%

Mexico City

$710 44.2% 907% $640

Eating Out

Tarlac City

$57 10.9%

Mexico City

$199 12.4% 250% $142

Sport & Entertainment

Tarlac City

$50 9.5%

Mexico City

$72 4.5% 44.7% $22

Getting Around

Tarlac City

$11 2.1%

Mexico City

$25 1.6% 135% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $87 in Tarlac City and $1,113 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays about 4.5 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $8 in Tarlac City vs $48 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $148 vs $320 per month, with Tarlac City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Tarlac City

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

03:51 3:51 AM

13:51 1:51 PM

14 h behind Tarlac City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

385,398

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 63.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.15 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Tarlac City Mexico City 14,190 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Tarlac City
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

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $523 in Tarlac City and $1,608 in Mexico City, so Tarlac City is about 67% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 78% lower in Tarlac City. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $87 in Tarlac City versus $1,113 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tarlac City runs roughly 59% less than in Mexico City. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $130 in Tarlac City versus $432 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $523 in Tarlac City versus $1,608 in Mexico City, a $800 budget is realistic in Tarlac City but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tarlac 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 Tarlac City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.