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: $781 in Bintulu versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Bintulu versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,667 in Bintulu versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 47% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bintulu is 42% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 MYR 14.66

$12.98 MX$226

-71.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.73 MYR 70.0

$53.1 MX$923

-66.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 MYR 22.40

$9.72 MX$169

-41.67%

Cappuccino

$2.80 MYR 11.07

$3.75 MX$65.2

-25.33%

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

$0.62 MYR 2.44

$1.57 MX$27.30

-60.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.55

$1.13 MX$19.64

-65.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 MYR 11.05

$3.18 MX$55.3

-11.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 MYR 19.33

$4.66 MX$81.1

4.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$1.62 MX$28.21

7.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 MYR 5.45

$2.71 MX$47.09

-49.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.21

$1.88 MX$32.70

-29.79%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.34

$2.51 MX$43.65

-15.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.62 MYR 65.7

$10.08 MX$175

64.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 MYR 13.17

$8.29 MX$144

-59.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.77 MYR 22.79

$11.94 MX$208

-51.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 MYR 6.36

$2.86 MX$49.77

-43.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 MYR 3.57

$1.75 MX$30.45

-48.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.44

$2.08 MX$36.27

-21.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$1.97 MX$34.27

-43.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$2.16 MX$37.58

-77.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.76

$2.18 MX$37.94

-44.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 MYR 2.88

$1.39 MX$24.20

-47.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.66

$1.12 MX$19.57

-62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MYR 16.12

$4.20 MX$73.1

-2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 MYR 75.5

$14.25 MX$248

34.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.01

$1.76 MX$30.68

58.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MYR 7.53

$3.68 MX$64.1

-48.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 MYR 4.79

$0.39 MX$6.71

210.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.86 MYR 62.6

$18.66 MX$325

-15.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 MYR 3.63

$1.39 MX$24.12

-33.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 MYR 3.46

$0.30 MX$5.29

193.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 MYR 9.46

$5.42 MX$94.3

-55.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.03

$1.35 MX$23.50

-62.22%

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

$42.8K MYR 168.9K

$18.9K MX$328.6K

126.47%

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

$38.2K MYR 151.0K

$23.2K MX$402.8K

65.07%

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

$57.9 MYR 229

$40.82 MX$710

41.74%

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

$9.27 MYR 36.61

$27.50 MX$479

-66.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.53 MYR 117

$30.38 MX$529

-2.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 MYR 259

$53.4 MX$930

22.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 23.71

$26.30 MX$458

-77.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 MYR 16.84

$6.27 MX$109

-32.06%

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

$122 MYR 483

$436 MX$7,588

-71.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,059 MYR 27.9K

$10.5K MX$182.1K

-32.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 MYR 250

$56.8 MX$988

11.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.69 MYR 133

$44.79 MX$779

-24.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 MYR 303

$103 MX$1,789

-25.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MYR 353

$108 MX$1,878

-17.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$213 MYR 843

$1,000 MX$17.4K

-78.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 MYR 597

$620 MX$10.8K

-75.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,845

$2,137 MX$37.2K

-78.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 MYR 1,248

$1,235 MX$21.5K

-74.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,831 MYR 7,234

$3,865 MX$67.3K

-52.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,198 MYR 4,732

$2,332 MX$40.6K

-48.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 MYR 2,525

$1,067 MX$18.6K

-40.11%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $213 in Bintulu and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 67% 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: $18.00 in Bintulu vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $286 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 90% 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 67% 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: $213 in Bintulu versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $781 per month in Bintulu versus $1,484 in Mexico City – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 18% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $781 in Bintulu versus $1,484 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 $781 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 90% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.