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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $802 in Bintulu versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,238 in Bintulu versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,674 in Bintulu versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 45% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bintulu is 40% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 MYR 15.52

$12.98 MX$223

-70.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.48 MYR 70.9

$52.6 MX$903

-66.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.73 MYR 23.24

$9.43 MX$162

-39.24%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.27

$3.57 MX$61.3

-22.13%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.71

$1.61 MX$27.55

-58.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$1.15 MX$19.81

-67.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 MYR 11.33

$3.15 MX$54.0

-11.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 MYR 19.65

$4.86 MX$83.4

-0.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MYR 6.97

$1.70 MX$29.17

1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 MYR 5.35

$2.64 MX$45.23

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.30

$1.90 MX$32.67

-31.05%

Eggs

$2.18 MYR 8.84

$2.54 MX$43.62

-14.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.62 MYR 67.4

$10.08 MX$173

64.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 MYR 14.26

$8.29 MX$142

-57.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.80 MYR 23.52

$11.57 MX$199

-49.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.60

$3.03 MX$52.0

-46.20%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 MYR 3.74

$1.71 MX$29.35

-46.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.60

$2.05 MX$35.16

-20.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.32

$2.06 MX$35.36

-48.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 MYR 2.13

$2.06 MX$35.43

-74.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.65

$2.17 MX$37.25

-47.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 MYR 2.73

$1.40 MX$24.08

-52.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.73

$1.12 MX$19.26

-61.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 MYR 15.83

$4.29 MX$73.7

-9.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.51 MYR 79.1

$15.41 MX$265

26.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 MYR 11.40

$1.67 MX$28.74

68.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 MYR 7.53

$3.69 MX$63.3

-49.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.86

$0.38 MX$6.55

215.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.64 MYR 63.4

$19.06 MX$327

-17.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MYR 3.69

$1.38 MX$23.70

-34.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 MYR 3.55

$0.28 MX$4.74

214.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 MYR 9.43

$5.42 MX$92.9

-57.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.05

$1.28 MX$21.98

-60.16%

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

$42.4K MYR 171.9K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

123.34%

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

$38.0K MYR 154.1K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

61.98%

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

$59.1 MYR 240

$41.02 MX$704

44.10%

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

$8.97 MYR 36.37

$26.92 MX$462

-66.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.31 MYR 119

$29.69 MX$510

-1.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.4 MYR 269

$52.3 MX$898

26.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.88 MYR 23.83

$26.23 MX$450

-77.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 MYR 16.79

$6.18 MX$106

-33.01%

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

$121 MYR 491

$427 MX$7,331

-71.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,172 MYR 29.1K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-32.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 MYR 253

$56.8 MX$975

9.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.27 MYR 139

$44.83 MX$769

-23.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MYR 306

$105 MX$1,794

-27.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 MYR 356

$106 MX$1,819

-17.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$212 MYR 859

$995 MX$17.1K

-78.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 MYR 611

$621 MX$10.7K

-75.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 MYR 1,870

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-78.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 MYR 1,291

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-74.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,756 MYR 7,122

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-55.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,159 MYR 4,701

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-44.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$611 MYR 2,478

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-44.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.34

-60.32%

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

Last update for Bintulu: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $212 in Bintulu and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 81% 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: $17.00 in Bintulu vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $288 per month, with Bintulu 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

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

Bintulu wins on cost – living expenses run 80% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bintulu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Mexico City earns 81% 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: $212 in Bintulu versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $802 per month in Bintulu versus $1,447 in Mexico City – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 22% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $802 in Bintulu versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bintulu but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Bintulu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bintulu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $802 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bintulu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bintulu 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 Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.