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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $672 in Balikpapan versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,070 in Balikpapan versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,468 in Balikpapan versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Balikpapan costs roughly 59% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Balikpapan is 51% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$11.92 MX$206

-88.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.14 Rp 197.3K

$51.6 MX$890

-78.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.17 Rp 56.1K

$11.41 MX$197

-72.22%

Cappuccino

$1.45 Rp 25.8K

$3.99 MX$68.9

-63.66%

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

$0.38 Rp 6,782

$1.66 MX$28.61

-77.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 Rp 6,529

$1.33 MX$22.87

-72.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 Rp 42.5K

$3.47 MX$59.9

-30.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 Rp 62.5K

$5.90 MX$102

-40.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 Rp 21.0K

$1.88 MX$32.36

-36.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$3.25 MX$56.1

-65.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

$2.16 MX$37.26

-45.83%

Eggs

$2.59 Rp 45.9K

$2.90 MX$49.94

-10.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.34 Rp 130.0K

$12.86 MX$222

-42.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 Rp 52.6K

$10.05 MX$173

-70.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 Rp 120.1K

$15.86 MX$273

-57.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$3.29 MX$56.8

-30.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.4K

$2.01 MX$34.60

-36.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

$2.20 MX$37.93

-22.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

$2.36 MX$40.63

-47.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 Rp 23.3K

$2.05 MX$35.43

-36.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 Rp 35.6K

$1.90 MX$32.79

5.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$1.61 MX$27.68

-54.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

$1.40 MX$24.09

-50.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$5.46 MX$94.2

-65.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.60 Rp 364.7K

$17.65 MX$304

16.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$2.06 MX$35.44

-7.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.0K

$4.68 MX$80.8

-35.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 Rp 9,817

$0.34 MX$5.84

61.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

$2.10 MX$36.15

-45.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 5,944

$0.56 MX$9.64

-39.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 Rp 51.2K

$5.81 MX$100

-50.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.61 MX$27.68

-52.80%

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

$23.5K Rp 416.3M

$22.8K MX$393.8K

2.92%

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

$31.2K Rp 552.0M

$26.8K MX$461.2K

16.54%

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

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

$65.2 MX$1,124

7.21%

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

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$30.09 MX$519

-84.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.58 Rp 523.8K

$37.18 MX$641

-20.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.45 Rp 433.0K

$59.8 MX$1,030

-59.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.64 Rp 153.1K

$26.55 MX$458

-67.46%

Cinema Ticket

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

$7.04 MX$121

-59.52%

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

$94.7 Rp 1.7M

$465 MX$8,012

-79.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,923 Rp 122.6M

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-47.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.44 Rp 680.6K

$75.9 MX$1,308

-49.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.51 Rp 345.5K

$56.0 MX$965

-65.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 Rp 2.5M

$112 MX$1,929

26.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

$121 MX$2,078

-41.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 Rp 3.6M

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-81.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$721 MX$12.4K

-78.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 Rp 9.9M

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-77.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 Rp 6.5M

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-71.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,079 Rp 19.1M

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-72.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$709 Rp 12.6M

$2,090 MX$36.0K

-66.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$245 Rp 4.3M

$1,037 MX$17.9K

-76.34%

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 Balikpapan: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $203 in Balikpapan and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 323% 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: $11.00 in Balikpapan vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $345 per month, with Balikpapan 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

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

Balikpapan and Mexico City differ by about 147% in total monthly costs ($672 vs $1,660 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 323% 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: $203 in Balikpapan versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $94.7 in Balikpapan versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Balikpapan – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $672 in Balikpapan versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Balikpapan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Balikpapan 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.

Safety-wise, Balikpapan 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 Balikpapan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 147% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.