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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $626 in Bandung versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $941 in Bandung versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,255 in Bandung versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Bandung costs roughly 57% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bandung is 53% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

$13.07 MX$229

-89.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.48 Rp 170.1K

$53.8 MX$943

-82.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 Rp 59.3K

$9.68 MX$170

-65.81%

Cappuccino

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

$3.74 MX$65.6

-60.16%

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

$0.52 Rp 9,356

$1.62 MX$28.34

-67.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,880

$1.16 MX$20.37

-76.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 Rp 59.4K

$3.23 MX$56.6

2.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 Rp 63.1K

$4.74 MX$83.1

-25.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$1.65 MX$28.89

-26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

$2.75 MX$48.30

-61.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 17.1K

$1.87 MX$32.87

-49.20%

Eggs

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

$2.50 MX$43.86

-36.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 Rp 160.7K

$10.20 MX$179

-12.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 Rp 56.3K

$8.25 MX$145

-61.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 Rp 144.9K

$11.82 MX$207

-31.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 42.6K

$3.01 MX$52.8

-21.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.2K

$1.81 MX$31.77

-28.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

$2.00 MX$35.07

-13.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$2.00 MX$35.00

-21.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

$2.08 MX$36.56

-29.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 48.4K

$2.27 MX$39.85

18.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 Rp 16.2K

$1.46 MX$25.55

-38.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,584

$1.08 MX$18.88

-61.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.53 Rp 45.3K

$4.35 MX$76.3

-41.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.74 Rp 390.1K

$16.99 MX$298

27.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 Rp 38.0K

$1.73 MX$30.40

22.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 Rp 63.5K

$3.58 MX$62.7

-1.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,360

$0.39 MX$6.79

-23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.26 Rp 184.0K

$18.69 MX$328

-45.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$1.33 MX$23.25

-47.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

$0.28 MX$4.91

171.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 Rp 46.5K

$5.25 MX$92.1

-50.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

$1.34 MX$23.44

-39.55%

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

$24.4K Rp 438.0M

$19.4K MX$340.5K

25.80%

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

$25.8K Rp 461.9M

$23.8K MX$418.0K

8.05%

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

$44.02 Rp 789.7K

$40.69 MX$714

8.18%

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

$4.47 Rp 80.3K

$26.87 MX$471

-83.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.86 Rp 410.1K

$30.51 MX$535

-25.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.68 Rp 388.9K

$52.8 MX$926

-58.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 Rp 118.5K

$26.65 MX$467

-75.23%

Cinema Ticket

$3.13 Rp 56.2K

$6.51 MX$114

-51.92%

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

$93.0 Rp 1.7M

$428 MX$7,508

-78.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,512 Rp 134.8M

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-28.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.31 Rp 741.1K

$57.3 MX$1,004

-27.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.79 Rp 552.3K

$45.50 MX$798

-32.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.6 Rp 1.1M

$104 MX$1,825

-43.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.3 Rp 1.2M

$108 MX$1,891

-40.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 Rp 4.2M

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-76.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 Rp 2.7M

$623 MX$10.9K

-75.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 Rp 8.3M

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-78.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 Rp 4.4M

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-79.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$705 Rp 12.6M

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-81.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$305 Rp 5.5M

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-85.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 5.0M

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-73.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

11.34

-19.31%

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

Last update for Bandung: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Bandung and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 275% 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: $9.00 in Bandung vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $292 per month, with Bandung 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

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

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 133% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 275% 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: $235 in Bandung versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $626 in Bandung versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bandung but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Bandung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bandung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $626 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bandung 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 Bandung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.