Cost of Living · PH vs MX
🇵🇭 Manila vs 🇲🇽 Mexico City: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $697 in Philippines vs $1,258 in Mexico — 80.63% more expensive.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in Mexico
- 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle: 21.58%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): 21.59%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): 21.59%
Closest to Philippines prices
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: +98.15%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: +98.15%
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: +98.15%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | Philippines | Mexico | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $422 | $836 (16,084 MXN) | +98.15% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $338 | $669 (12,867 MXN) | +98.15% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $772 | $1,529 (29,410 MXN) | +98.15% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $5.89 | $10.07 (194 MXN) | +70.97% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $24.53 | $41.98 (808 MXN) | +71.14% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $3.98 | $6.49 (125 MXN) | +63.07% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.49 | $0.72 (14 MXN) | +46.94% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $1.42 | $2.10 (40 MXN) | +47.89% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $1.51 | $2.23 (43 MXN) | +47.68% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $4.44 | $6.56 (126 MXN) | +47.75% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $1.77 | $2.62 (50 MXN) | +48.02% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $2.13 | $3.15 (61 MXN) | +47.89% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $5.32 | $7.87 (151 MXN) | +47.93% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $0.89 | $1.31 (25 MXN) | +47.19% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $1.96 | $3.36 (65 MXN) | +71.43% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $5.33 | $6.48 (125 MXN) | +21.58% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $1.64 | $2.80 (54 MXN) | +70.73% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.02 | $1.51 (29 MXN) | +48.04% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $23.53 | $38.35 (738 MXN) | +62.98% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $1.00 | $1.62 (31 MXN) | +62% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $1.31 | $2.24 (43 MXN) | +70.99% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $0.59 | $1.01 (19 MXN) | +71.19% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.63 | $0.77 (15 MXN) | +22.22% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $72.40 | $118 (2,270 MXN) | +62.98% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $25.34 | $41.30 (795 MXN) | +62.98% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $16.29 | $26.55 (511 MXN) | +62.98% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $16.35 | $27.98 (538 MXN) | +71.13% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $4.58 | $7.84 (151 MXN) | +71.18% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $9.81 | $16.79 (323 MXN) | +71.15% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $36.63 | $44.54 (857 MXN) | +21.59% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $59.94 | $72.88 (1,402 MXN) | +21.59% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $81.76 | $140 (2,692 MXN) | +71.14% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much more expensive is Mexico than Philippines?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $1,258 in Mexico versus $697 in Philippines — 80.63% more. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in Mexico?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $3.36 in Mexico (≈ 64.64 MXN), versus about $1.96 in Philippines.
- How much is rent in Mexico compared to Philippines?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $836/month in Mexico versus $422/month in Philippines (+98.15%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.