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: $812 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,327 in Bayan Lepas versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,842 in Bayan Lepas versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Bayan Lepas costs roughly 44% 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 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 MYR 14.29

$12.98 MX$223

-72.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.98 MYR 77.0

$52.6 MX$903

-63.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.20 MYR 17.03

$9.43 MX$162

-55.46%

Cappuccino

$2.77 MYR 11.24

$3.57 MX$61.3

-22.41%

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

$0.81 MYR 3.29

$1.61 MX$27.55

-49.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$1.15 MX$19.81

-53.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.84 MYR 19.61

$3.15 MX$54.0

53.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 MYR 19.45

$4.86 MX$83.4

-1.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 MYR 10.01

$1.70 MX$29.17

45.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 MYR 3.64

$2.64 MX$45.23

-65.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.43

$1.90 MX$32.67

-29.47%

Eggs

$1.72 MYR 6.97

$2.54 MX$43.62

-32.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.85 MYR 60.2

$10.08 MX$173

47.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 MYR 18.82

$8.29 MX$142

-44.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.72 MYR 27.26

$11.57 MX$199

-41.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.84

$3.03 MX$52.0

-3.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 MYR 6.51

$1.71 MX$29.35

-5.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 12.14

$2.05 MX$35.16

45.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.81

$2.06 MX$35.36

-42.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MYR 3.98

$2.06 MX$35.43

-52.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.26

$2.17 MX$37.25

-51.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 MYR 2.48

$1.40 MX$24.08

-56.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 MYR 2.62

$1.12 MX$19.26

-41.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 MYR 19.85

$4.29 MX$73.7

14.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.11 MYR 81.6

$15.41 MX$265

30.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 MYR 11.27

$1.67 MX$28.74

66.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 MYR 5.31

$3.69 MX$63.3

-64.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MYR 2.68

$0.38 MX$6.55

73.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.08 MYR 57.1

$19.06 MX$327

-26.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 MYR 6.35

$1.38 MX$23.70

13.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.18

$0.28 MX$4.74

267.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.06 MYR 24.58

$5.42 MX$92.9

11.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 MYR 2.34

$1.28 MX$21.98

-54.69%

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

$35.6K MYR 144.4K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

87.64%

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

$29.5K MYR 119.8K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

25.95%

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

$34.16 MYR 139

$41.02 MX$704

-16.72%

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

$11.40 MYR 46.22

$26.92 MX$462

-57.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MYR 122

$29.69 MX$510

0.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.71 MYR 129

$52.3 MX$898

-39.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.55 MYR 18.46

$26.23 MX$450

-82.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 MYR 16.38

$6.18 MX$106

-34.63%

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

$237 MYR 962

$427 MX$7,331

-44.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,168 MYR 29.1K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-32.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.65 MYR 153

$56.8 MX$975

-33.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 MYR 106

$44.83 MX$769

-41.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 MYR 249

$105 MX$1,794

-41.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.6 MYR 319

$106 MX$1,819

-25.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$192 MYR 779

$995 MX$17.1K

-80.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 MYR 857

$621 MX$10.7K

-65.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 MYR 1,889

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-78.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 MYR 2,292

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-54.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$999 MYR 4,053

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-9.74%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $192 in Bayan Lepas and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 11% 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 $248 vs $288 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 78% in total monthly costs ($812 vs $1,447 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 11% 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: $192 in Bayan Lepas versus $995 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 35% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $237 in Bayan Lepas versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $812 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,447 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 78% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.