🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $675 in Ambon versus $1,484 in Mexico City.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,036 in Ambon versus $2,381 in Mexico City.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,397 in Ambon versus $3,278 in Mexico City.
🙂Living in Ambon costs roughly 54% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Ambon is 50% below, Mexico City is 11% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Ambon
Mexico City
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$0.87Rp 15.1K
$12.98MX$226
-93.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.06Rp 208.2K
$53.1MX$923
-77.28%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.41Rp 58.8K
$9.72MX$169
-64.92%
Cappuccino
$1.65Rp 28.6K
$3.75MX$65.2
-56.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54Rp 9,335
$1.57MX$27.30
-65.61%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26Rp 4,504
$1.13MX$19.64
-76.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.51Rp 43.3K
$3.18MX$55.3
-21.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.45Rp 59.5K
$4.66MX$81.1
-25.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ambon
Mexico City
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.23Rp 21.2K
$1.62MX$28.21
-24.07%
White Bread(500g)
$1.12Rp 19.4K
$2.71MX$47.09
-58.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.95Rp 16.4K
$1.88MX$32.70
-49.47%
Eggs
$1.57Rp 27.1K
$2.51MX$43.65
-37.45%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.04Rp 138.9K
$10.08MX$175
-20.24%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.15Rp 54.4K
$8.29MX$144
-62.00%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.76Rp 134.1K
$11.94MX$208
-35.01%
Apples(1kg)
$2.39Rp 41.2K
$2.86MX$49.77
-16.43%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49Rp 25.8K
$1.75MX$30.45
-14.86%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.88Rp 32.5K
$2.08MX$36.27
-9.62%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.50Rp 25.9K
$1.97MX$34.27
-23.86%
Potato(1kg)
$1.36Rp 23.5K
$2.16MX$37.58
-37.04%
Onion(1kg)
$1.89Rp 32.6K
$2.18MX$37.94
-13.30%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.95Rp 16.4K
$1.39MX$24.20
-31.65%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42Rp 7,227
$1.12MX$19.57
-62.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.55Rp 44.0K
$4.20MX$73.1
-39.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$22.04Rp 380.5K
$14.25MX$248
54.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.11Rp 36.4K
$1.76MX$30.68
19.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20Rp 55.2K
$3.68MX$64.1
-13.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Ambon
Mexico City
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.30Rp 5,125
$0.39MX$6.71
-23.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$10.12Rp 174.7K
$18.66MX$325
-45.77%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.53Rp 9,162
$1.39MX$24.12
-61.87%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.37Rp 6,453
$0.30MX$5.29
23.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.95Rp 50.9K
$5.42MX$94.3
-45.57%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.83Rp 14.3K
$1.35MX$23.50
-38.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.0KRp 431.1M
$18.9KMX$328.6K
32.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.4KRp 473.9M
$23.2KMX$402.8K
18.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ambon
Mexico City
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.6Rp 1.2M
$40.82MX$710
72.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.32Rp 74.6K
$27.50MX$479
-84.29%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.52Rp 388.8K
$30.38MX$529
-25.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ambon
Mexico City
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$23.17Rp 400.0K
$53.4MX$930
-56.63%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.09Rp 105.2K
$26.30MX$458
-76.84%
Cinema Ticket
$3.13Rp 54.0K
$6.27MX$109
-50.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ambon
Mexico City
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$91.9Rp 1.6M
$436MX$7,588
-78.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,453Rp 128.7M
$10.5KMX$182.1K
-28.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ambon
Mexico City
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.91Rp 706.4K
$56.8MX$988
-27.92%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.37Rp 524.4K
$44.79MX$779
-32.19%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$66.5Rp 1.1M
$103MX$1,789
-35.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.8Rp 1.3M
$108MX$1,878
-32.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ambon
Mexico City
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$262Rp 4.5M
$1,000MX$17.4K
-73.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$157Rp 2.7M
$620MX$10.8K
-74.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$586Rp 10.1M
$2,137MX$37.2K
-72.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$333Rp 5.8M
$1,235MX$21.5K
-73.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,052Rp 18.2M
$3,865MX$67.3K
-72.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$883Rp 15.2M
$2,332MX$40.6K
-62.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ambon
Mexico City
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$177Rp 3.1M
$1,067MX$18.6K
-83.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.15
11.34
-19.31%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Ambon: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Mexico City: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Ambon and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Mexico City pays 504% 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: $12.00 in Ambon vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $286 per month, with Ambon cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Ambon vs Mexico City: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Ambon or Mexico City?
Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 120% 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.
Are salaries higher in Ambon or Mexico City?
On paper, Mexico City earns 504% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ambon vs Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $262 in Ambon versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Ambon compared to Mexico City?
All in, you'll spend $675 per month in Ambon versus $1,484 in Mexico City – a 120% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Ambon vs Mexico City?
A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 84% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ambon or Mexico City?
At $675 in Ambon versus $1,484 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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ambon or Mexico City?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ambon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $675 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambon hard to pass up.
How safe is Ambon compared to Mexico City?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ambon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 120% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.