Cost of Living Comparison Between Bayan Lepas and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Bayan Lepas and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $804 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,312 in Bayan Lepas versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,819 in Bayan Lepas versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Bayan Lepas is 40% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 MYR 14.05

$12.98 MX$226

-72.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.76 MYR 74.1

$53.1 MX$923

-64.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.24 MYR 16.75

$9.72 MX$169

-56.38%

Cappuccino

$2.68 MYR 10.58

$3.75 MX$65.2

-28.53%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.03

$1.57 MX$27.30

-50.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.27

$1.13 MX$19.64

-48.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.84 MYR 19.11

$3.18 MX$55.3

52.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MYR 18.80

$4.66 MX$81.1

2.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 MYR 9.22

$1.62 MX$28.21

43.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 MYR 3.62

$2.71 MX$47.09

-66.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.34

$1.88 MX$32.70

-28.19%

Eggs

$1.65 MYR 6.50

$2.51 MX$43.65

-34.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 MYR 57.0

$10.08 MX$175

43.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 MYR 18.02

$8.29 MX$144

-44.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.46 MYR 25.53

$11.94 MX$208

-45.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.34

$2.86 MX$49.77

0.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 MYR 6.34

$1.75 MX$30.45

-8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 11.80

$2.08 MX$36.27

43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.76

$1.97 MX$34.27

-38.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 3.94

$2.16 MX$37.58

-53.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 MYR 4.10

$2.18 MX$37.94

-52.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 MYR 2.61

$1.39 MX$24.20

-52.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 MYR 2.55

$1.12 MX$19.57

-41.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.85 MYR 19.15

$4.20 MX$73.1

15.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.37 MYR 80.5

$14.25 MX$248

42.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 MYR 11.22

$1.76 MX$30.68

61.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MYR 5.22

$3.68 MX$64.1

-64.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MYR 2.57

$0.39 MX$6.71

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.23 MYR 56.2

$18.66 MX$325

-23.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 MYR 6.17

$1.39 MX$24.12

12.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.03

$0.30 MX$5.29

240.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 MYR 22.89

$5.42 MX$94.3

6.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 MYR 2.32

$1.35 MX$23.50

-56.30%

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

$35.2K MYR 139.2K

$18.9K MX$328.6K

86.61%

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

$29.5K MYR 116.5K

$23.2K MX$402.8K

27.39%

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

$33.05 MYR 131

$40.82 MX$710

-19.03%

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

$11.19 MYR 44.20

$27.50 MX$479

-59.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.33 MYR 120

$30.38 MX$529

-0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.18 MYR 127

$53.4 MX$930

-39.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.56 MYR 18.00

$26.30 MX$458

-82.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.19 MYR 16.55

$6.27 MX$109

-33.17%

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

$236 MYR 934

$436 MX$7,588

-45.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,993 MYR 27.6K

$10.5K MX$182.1K

-33.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.77 MYR 149

$56.8 MX$988

-33.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.31 MYR 100.0

$44.79 MX$779

-43.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 MYR 247

$103 MX$1,789

-39.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.2 MYR 313

$108 MX$1,878

-26.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 MYR 753

$1,000 MX$17.4K

-80.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 MYR 843

$620 MX$10.8K

-65.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 MYR 1,875

$2,137 MX$37.2K

-77.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 MYR 2,184

$1,235 MX$21.5K

-55.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,015 MYR 4,009

$1,067 MX$18.6K

-4.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.3

11.34

-70.90%

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

Last update for Bayan Lepas: April 28, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $191 in Bayan Lepas and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 5% 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: $19.00 in Bayan Lepas vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $286 per month, with Bayan Lepas 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

Bayan Lepas vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bayan Lepas and Mexico City differ by about 85% in total monthly costs ($804 vs $1,484 including rent). Bayan Lepas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 5% 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: $191 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bayan Lepas runs roughly 31% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $236 in Bayan Lepas versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $804 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bayan Lepas but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Bayan Lepas 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, Bayan Lepas 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 Bayan Lepas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.