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: $778 in Balikpapan versus $1,448 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,200 in Balikpapan versus $2,354 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,622 in Balikpapan versus $3,260 in Mexico City.

Living in Balikpapan costs roughly 46% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Balikpapan is 42% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.57 Rp 27.8K

$12.96 MX$223

-87.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.13 Rp 268.0K

$52.3 MX$900

-71.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$9.69 MX$167

-65.43%

Cappuccino

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

$3.75 MX$64.6

-53.87%

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

$0.40 Rp 7,116

$1.56 MX$26.91

-74.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 Rp 6,803

$1.16 MX$19.93

-67.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 Rp 35.7K

$3.24 MX$55.8

-37.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

$4.90 MX$84.3

-35.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 Rp 33.6K

$1.70 MX$29.29

11.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

$2.67 MX$45.90

-53.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.89 MX$32.49

-32.80%

Eggs

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.52 MX$43.37

5.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 Rp 140.3K

$10.02 MX$172

-20.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 Rp 89.2K

$8.53 MX$147

-41.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.95 Rp 140.8K

$11.94 MX$205

-33.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 Rp 66.0K

$2.97 MX$51.1

25.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$1.79 MX$30.88

-13.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 37.6K

$2.00 MX$34.40

6.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 Rp 22.3K

$1.96 MX$33.74

-35.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.1K

$2.16 MX$37.21

-16.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 64.1K

$2.27 MX$39.04

59.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 Rp 16.6K

$1.40 MX$24.14

-32.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

$1.11 MX$19.18

-28.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$4.20 MX$72.2

-50.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.59 Rp 382.5K

$16.54 MX$285

30.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

$1.68 MX$28.94

33.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 Rp 76.8K

$3.59 MX$61.8

20.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 Rp 11.2K

$0.39 MX$6.65

61.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.67 Rp 171.2K

$19.19 MX$330

-49.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

$1.38 MX$23.77

-9.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,652

$0.30 MX$5.19

26.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 Rp 105.5K

$5.39 MX$92.7

10.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

$1.29 MX$22.13

-42.64%

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

$24.5K Rp 434.5M

$18.9K MX$325.1K

29.80%

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

$26.0K Rp 460.5M

$23.8K MX$409.5K

9.24%

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

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

$39.86 MX$686

131.06%

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

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

$27.83 MX$479

-89.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.61 Rp 560.0K

$29.77 MX$512

6.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.70 Rp 384.3K

$52.0 MX$894

-58.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.06 Rp 107.3K

$26.22 MX$451

-76.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.12 Rp 55.3K

$6.27 MX$108

-50.24%

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

$61.9 Rp 1.1M

$433 MX$7,443

-85.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,588 Rp 134.4M

$10.5K MX$181.3K

-28.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.41 Rp 733.6K

$57.0 MX$981

-27.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.63 Rp 365.5K

$45.33 MX$780

-54.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 Rp 2.2M

$102 MX$1,753

21.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 Rp 2.2M

$109 MX$1,867

13.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 Rp 3.9M

$994 MX$17.1K

-77.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 Rp 2.8M

$617 MX$10.6K

-74.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 Rp 8.7M

$2,086 MX$35.9K

-76.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 Rp 5.5M

$1,256 MX$21.6K

-75.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,084 Rp 19.2M

$3,936 MX$67.7K

-72.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$628 Rp 11.1M

$2,089 MX$35.9K

-69.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$195 Rp 3.4M

$1,131 MX$19.5K

-82.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

32.28%

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

Last update for Balikpapan: June 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $222 in Balikpapan and $994 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 482% 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: $15.00 in Balikpapan vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $292 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 86% in total monthly costs ($778 vs $1,448 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 482% less. 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: $222 in Balikpapan versus $994 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Balikpapan runs roughly 98% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $61.9 in Balikpapan versus $433 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $778 in Balikpapan versus $1,448 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 86% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.