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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $919 per month in Butterworth vs $1,660 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,372 per month in Butterworth vs $2,565 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,825 per month in Butterworth vs $3,470 in Mexico City, rent included.

Butterworth is about 45% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Butterworth sits 33% below the global median, while Mexico City is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.70

$11.92 MX$205

-69.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.01 MYR 81.9

$51.6 MX$886

-61.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 MYR 18.79

$11.41 MX$196

-59.77%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 12.16

$3.99 MX$68.6

-25.56%

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

$0.78 MYR 3.21

$1.66 MX$28.48

-53.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$1.33 MX$22.77

-72.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 MYR 17.43

$3.47 MX$59.6

22.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MYR 17.59

$5.90 MX$101

-27.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 MYR 9.01

$1.88 MX$32.21

17.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.31

$3.25 MX$55.9

-67.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.91

$2.16 MX$37.10

-21.76%

Eggs

$2.22 MYR 9.09

$2.90 MX$49.72

-23.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.33 MYR 54.6

$12.86 MX$221

3.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 MYR 18.16

$10.05 MX$173

-55.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.72 MYR 35.69

$15.86 MX$272

-45.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 MYR 11.45

$3.29 MX$56.6

-14.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.80

$2.01 MX$34.44

-17.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 MYR 9.65

$2.20 MX$37.76

7.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.79

$2.36 MX$40.44

-39.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.54

$2.05 MX$35.27

-45.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.68

$1.90 MX$32.64

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.53

$1.61 MX$27.55

-31.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$1.40 MX$23.98

-61.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 MYR 18.16

$5.46 MX$93.8

-18.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.28 MYR 78.9

$17.65 MX$303

9.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 MYR 11.84

$2.06 MX$35.28

40.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 MYR 16.49

$4.68 MX$80.4

-13.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MYR 2.70

$0.34 MX$5.81

94.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.82 MYR 56.6

$20.81 MX$357

-33.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.95

$2.10 MX$35.99

-42.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.55

$0.56 MX$9.60

-32.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 MYR 19.58

$5.81 MX$99.8

-17.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 MYR 3.16

$1.61 MX$27.56

-52.17%

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

$41.6K MYR 170.4K

$22.8K MX$392.1K

82.21%

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

$35.2K MYR 144.2K

$26.8K MX$459.2K

31.71%

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

$37.38 MYR 153

$65.2 MX$1,119

-42.65%

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

$9.18 MYR 37.59

$30.09 MX$517

-69.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.57 MYR 105

$37.18 MX$638

-31.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.34 MYR 145

$59.8 MX$1,026

-40.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.77 MYR 27.70

$26.55 MX$456

-74.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.29 MYR 21.64

$7.04 MX$121

-24.86%

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

$299 MYR 1,222

$465 MX$7,976

-35.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K MYR 44.2K

$13.3K MX$227.8K

-18.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 251

$75.9 MX$1,303

-19.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.44 MYR 145

$56.0 MX$960

-36.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 MYR 339

$112 MX$1,920

-26.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 MYR 285

$121 MX$2,068

-42.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 MYR 1,712

$1,103 MX$18.9K

-62.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 MYR 1,440

$721 MX$12.4K

-51.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 MYR 3,020

$2,530 MX$43.4K

-70.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 MYR 2,021

$1,293 MX$22.2K

-61.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,040 MYR 8,351

$3,991 MX$68.5K

-48.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,102 MYR 4,510

$2,090 MX$35.9K

-47.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

11.3

-62.83%

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

Last update for Butterworth: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $418 in Butterworth versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Butterworth versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $345 – making Butterworth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $919 in Butterworth, $1,660 in Mexico City – roughly 81% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,378 per month in Butterworth and $2,489 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Butterworth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $919 in Butterworth and $1,660 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% less in Butterworth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Butterworth, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Butterworth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $919 in Butterworth to $1,660 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Butterworth. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.