Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bintulu and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Bintulu: $852 a month against $1,674 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Bintulu
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Bintulu Living Index
80

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

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Bintulu

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$852

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,674

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bintulu and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bintulu and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Bintulu versus $1,674 in Mexico City.

Bintulu $852
Mexico City $1,674

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,331 in Bintulu versus $2,606 in Mexico City.

Bintulu $1,331
Mexico City $2,606

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,810 in Bintulu versus $3,537 in Mexico City.

Bintulu $1,810
Mexico City $3,537

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 49% less than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bintulu is 37% below, Mexico City is 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 MYR 16.39

$10.59 MX$199

-62.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.75 MYR 76.4

$52.0 MX$978

-63.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 MYR 23.38

$10.73 MX$202

-46.51%

Cappuccino

$2.89 MYR 11.80

$3.80 MX$71.4

-23.95%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$1.61 MX$30.35

-57.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MYR 1.53

$1.21 MX$22.81

-68.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 MYR 12.17

$3.18 MX$59.8

-5.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.19 MYR 21.16

$5.44 MX$102

-4.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 MYR 8.57

$1.72 MX$32.32

22.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 MYR 5.82

$2.97 MX$55.8

-51.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.39

$1.93 MX$36.24

-31.61%

Eggs

$2.21 MYR 8.99

$2.77 MX$52.2

-20.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 MYR 70.9

$11.67 MX$220

49.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 MYR 14.63

$9.48 MX$178

-62.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.95 MYR 24.24

$15.37 MX$289

-61.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.17

$3.10 MX$58.4

-43.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 4.06

$1.96 MX$36.90

-48.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.96

$1.98 MX$37.30

-13.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.58

$2.34 MX$43.95

-52.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 MYR 2.24

$2.02 MX$38.08

-72.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.87

$1.82 MX$34.34

-34.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 MYR 3.06

$1.54 MX$29.06

-51.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.82

$1.31 MX$24.70

-65.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 MYR 16.75

$5.35 MX$101

-23.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.47 MYR 79.4

$16.19 MX$305

20.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 MYR 12.32

$1.96 MX$36.87

54.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 MYR 8.15

$4.35 MX$81.9

-54.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 MYR 5.14

$0.30 MX$5.74

320.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.05 MYR 65.4

$19.49 MX$367

-17.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 MYR 3.89

$1.92 MX$36.08

-50.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 MYR 3.33

$0.47 MX$8.90

74.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 MYR 10.21

$5.41 MX$102

-53.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 MYR 2.71

$1.48 MX$27.92

-55.41%

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

$44.8K MYR 182.5K

$21.4K MX$402.2K

109.59%

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

$39.9K MYR 162.4K

$23.8K MX$447.1K

67.76%

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

$59.5 MYR 242

$62.0 MX$1,167

-4.03%

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

$31.54 MYR 129

$28.47 MX$536

10.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.82 MYR 126

$34.11 MX$642

-9.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.5 MYR 279

$58.4 MX$1,099

17.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.11 MYR 49.34

$24.50 MX$461

-50.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.51 MYR 18.38

$6.59 MX$124

-31.56%

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

$125 MYR 509

$434 MX$8,172

-71.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,487 MYR 30.5K

$14.0K MX$264.1K

-46.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 MYR 267

$68.4 MX$1,286

-4.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.43 MYR 144

$54.8 MX$1,031

-35.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 MYR 319

$111 MX$2,086

-29.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MYR 375

$116 MX$2,183

-20.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 MYR 912

$1,179 MX$22.2K

-81.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 MYR 636

$771 MX$14.5K

-79.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 MYR 1,933

$2,570 MX$48.4K

-81.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 MYR 1,366

$1,420 MX$26.7K

-76.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,775 MYR 7,235

$3,586 MX$67.5K

-50.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,172 MYR 4,776

$2,064 MX$38.8K

-43.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 MYR 2,498

$1,003 MX$18.9K

-38.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.35

-60.35%

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

Last update for Bintulu: November 3, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Bintulu

$235 27.6%

Mexico City

$324 19.3% 37.6% $89

Accommodation & Living

Bintulu

$156 18.3%

Mexico City

$771 46.1% 394% $615

Clothing & Footwear

Bintulu

$122 14.3%

Mexico City

$158 9.4% 29% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bintulu

$122 14.3%

Mexico City

$125 7.4% 2.2% $2.7

Eating Out

Bintulu

$114 13.3%

Mexico City

$201 12% 76.4% $87

Sport & Entertainment

Bintulu

$78 9.1%

Mexico City

$72 4.3% 7.7% $6

Getting Around

Bintulu

$26 3.1%

Mexico City

$25 1.5% 4.4% $1.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $224 in Bintulu and $1,179 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 64% 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 in Bintulu vs $52 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $324 per month, with Bintulu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Bintulu

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

23:23 11:23 PM

09:23 9:23 AM

14 h behind Bintulu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

240,172

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.219 EUR

100 MXN = 5.31 USD

100 MXN = 4.74 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 4.07 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.57 MYR (1 MYR = 0.219 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.82 MXN (100 MXN = 5.31 USD). 1 EUR = 21.1 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bintulu Mexico City 15,690 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Bintulu
Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 49% 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, salaries run 39% lower in Bintulu. 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: $224 in Bintulu versus $1,179 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $852 per month in Bintulu versus $1,674 in Mexico City – Bintulu is about 49% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 18% less than in Mexico City. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Bintulu is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

Expats usually find Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.