Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambon and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambon and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $660 in Ambon versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,038 in Ambon versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,416 in Ambon versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Ambon costs roughly 61% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ambon is 52% below, Mexico City is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.11 Rp 19.5K

$12.14 MX$206

-90.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.82 Rp 243.2K

$53.9 MX$914

-74.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.84 Rp 67.7K

$11.09 MX$188

-65.37%

Cappuccino

$1.52 Rp 26.7K

$4.10 MX$69.5

-62.93%

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

$0.44 Rp 7,725

$1.68 MX$28.53

-73.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 Rp 5,052

$1.39 MX$23.55

-79.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 Rp 43.3K

$3.33 MX$56.5

-26.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 Rp 61.2K

$5.88 MX$99.7

-40.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.85 MX$31.41

-43.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 Rp 17.5K

$3.17 MX$53.8

-68.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$2.07 MX$35.13

-57.97%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.4K

$2.93 MX$49.67

-50.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 Rp 131.2K

$12.59 MX$214

-40.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.04 Rp 53.5K

$10.11 MX$172

-69.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 Rp 135.3K

$16.09 MX$273

-52.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 40.4K

$3.39 MX$57.5

-32.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.5K

$2.08 MX$35.26

-38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 Rp 29.6K

$2.12 MX$35.97

-20.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 Rp 21.7K

$2.41 MX$40.95

-48.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.3K

$2.13 MX$36.11

-40.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 34.2K

$2.01 MX$34.02

-3.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$1.55 MX$26.21

-49.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,058

$1.36 MX$23.15

-70.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

$5.77 MX$97.8

-61.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.79 Rp 366.0K

$17.74 MX$301

17.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 Rp 32.3K

$2.07 MX$35.11

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 Rp 52.5K

$4.61 MX$78.3

-35.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,660

$0.37 MX$6.21

-13.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.28 Rp 304.2K

$21.18 MX$359

-18.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 Rp 8,853

$2.05 MX$34.84

-75.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 6,013

$0.58 MX$9.79

-41.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 Rp 46.9K

$6.07 MX$103

-56.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

$1.55 MX$26.34

-46.45%

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

$24.6K Rp 433.9M

$22.9K MX$388.1K

7.74%

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

$28.8K Rp 507.8M

$27.2K MX$462.0K

5.91%

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

$71.4 Rp 1.3M

$67.4 MX$1,144

5.90%

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

$5.73 Rp 100.9K

$30.62 MX$520

-81.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.19 Rp 337.8K

$37.24 MX$632

-48.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.11 Rp 336.5K

$61.5 MX$1,043

-68.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.56 Rp 168.3K

$27.12 MX$460

-64.75%

Cinema Ticket

$1.39 Rp 24.4K

$7.11 MX$121

-80.45%

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

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$456 MX$7,739

-80.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,065 Rp 142.0M

$13.7K MX$232.3K

-41.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.82 Rp 771.5K

$74.2 MX$1,259

-40.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.99 Rp 492.9K

$57.0 MX$967

-50.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 Rp 1.3M

$115 MX$1,958

-37.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 Rp 1.2M

$122 MX$2,061

-42.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 Rp 3.5M

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-82.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 Rp 3.0M

$709 MX$12.0K

-75.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$629 Rp 11.1M

$2,577 MX$43.7K

-75.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 Rp 6.1M

$1,295 MX$22.0K

-73.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,135 Rp 20.0M

$4,005 MX$67.9K

-71.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$591 Rp 10.4M

$2,130 MX$36.1K

-72.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$126 Rp 2.2M

$1,082 MX$18.4K

-88.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

11.3

-16.28%

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

Last update for Ambon: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Ambon and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 761% 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: $14.00 in Ambon vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $345 per month, with Ambon 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

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

Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 154% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 761% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $198 in Ambon versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $660 per month in Ambon versus $1,677 in Mexico City – a 154% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 23% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $660 in Ambon versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ambon but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ambon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $660 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ambon and Mexico City 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 Ambon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 154% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.