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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $859 per month in Cheras vs $1,472 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,289 per month in Cheras vs $2,359 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,719 per month in Cheras vs $3,245 in Mexico City, rent included.

Cheras is about 42% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cheras sits 35% below the global median, while Mexico City is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 14.18

$13.14 MX$227

-73.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.95 MYR 77.4

$53.5 MX$926

-64.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 MYR 19.07

$9.33 MX$161

-49.95%

Cappuccino

$2.92 MYR 11.91

$3.70 MX$64.0

-21.08%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.21

$1.60 MX$27.76

-50.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.83

$1.12 MX$19.34

-59.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 MYR 19.30

$3.14 MX$54.3

50.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 MYR 26.56

$4.85 MX$83.9

34.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.63

$1.65 MX$28.61

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.06

$2.71 MX$46.96

-63.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 MYR 5.29

$1.91 MX$33.03

-31.94%

Eggs

$2.10 MYR 8.56

$2.59 MX$44.81

-18.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.64 MYR 63.9

$9.81 MX$170

59.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 MYR 15.22

$8.43 MX$146

-55.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.73 MYR 31.55

$11.93 MX$206

-35.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MYR 11.21

$2.95 MX$51.1

-6.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.15

$1.74 MX$30.10

0.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.49

$2.04 MX$35.38

25.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.14

$2.06 MX$35.64

-38.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.97

$2.15 MX$37.20

-32.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.72

$2.26 MX$39.02

-38.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.63

$1.39 MX$23.97

-35.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.26

$1.12 MX$19.31

-50.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.59

$4.22 MX$73.0

2.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 MYR 56.4

$17.51 MX$303

-21.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 MYR 11.15

$1.71 MX$29.58

59.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 MYR 16.00

$3.63 MX$62.8

7.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$0.35 MX$6.10

31.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.99 MYR 48.97

$19.32 MX$334

-37.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 MYR 4.19

$1.38 MX$23.80

-25.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 MYR 4.20

$0.28 MX$4.77

267.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.14 MYR 37.34

$5.28 MX$91.3

73.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.90

$1.36 MX$23.50

-66.18%

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

$49.6K MYR 202.6K

$19.1K MX$330.5K

159.73%

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

$31.7K MYR 129.3K

$23.6K MX$408.4K

34.19%

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

$41.39 MYR 169

$40.53 MX$701

2.12%

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

$9.03 MYR 36.88

$27.38 MX$474

-67.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.43 MYR 124

$30.38 MX$526

0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.27 MYR 169

$52.2 MX$903

-20.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.94 MYR 24.24

$26.48 MX$458

-77.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.89

$6.19 MX$107

-21.32%

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

$185 MYR 756

$425 MX$7,355

-56.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,008 MYR 28.6K

$10.7K MX$185.7K

-34.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 MYR 266

$58.3 MX$1,009

11.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.18 MYR 140

$44.57 MX$771

-23.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 MYR 293

$103 MX$1,791

-30.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.69 MYR 199

$109 MX$1,881

-55.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,561

$1,014 MX$17.5K

-62.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 MYR 945

$623 MX$10.8K

-62.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 MYR 2,672

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-69.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 MYR 1,741

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-65.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,191 MYR 4,865

$1,052 MX$18.2K

13.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

11.34

-64.11%

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

Last update for Cheras: July 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 in Cheras versus $1,014 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.

Salaries run about 13% higher in Cheras, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Cheras versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $293 – making Cheras 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

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

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 71%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,288 per month in Cheras and $2,208 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 23% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Cheras and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cheras, where all-in costs run around $859, than in Mexico City at $1,472. In Cheras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cheras – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Cheras. 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.