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 $839 per month in Cheras vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,272 per month in Cheras vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,704 per month in Cheras vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

Cheras is about 43% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cheras sits 37% below the global median, while Mexico City is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.30

$12.98 MX$226

-72.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.67 MYR 73.8

$53.1 MX$923

-64.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.07

$9.72 MX$169

-52.88%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.39

$3.75 MX$65.2

-23.20%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.30

$1.57 MX$27.30

-46.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$1.13 MX$19.64

-59.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.66 MYR 18.41

$3.18 MX$55.3

46.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 MYR 25.60

$4.66 MX$81.1

39.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.48

$1.62 MX$28.21

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.71

$2.71 MX$47.09

-65.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.87

$1.88 MX$32.70

-34.57%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.51

$2.51 MX$43.65

-14.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.54 MYR 61.4

$10.08 MX$175

54.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 MYR 14.16

$8.29 MX$144

-56.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 MYR 29.79

$11.94 MX$208

-36.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MYR 10.46

$2.86 MX$49.77

-7.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$1.75 MX$30.45

-0.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 MYR 10.12

$2.08 MX$36.27

23.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.94

$1.97 MX$34.27

-36.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.06

$2.16 MX$37.58

-29.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.26

$2.18 MX$37.94

-38.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 MYR 3.48

$1.39 MX$24.20

-36.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.23

$1.12 MX$19.57

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MYR 16.66

$4.20 MX$73.1

0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.51 MYR 57.3

$14.25 MX$248

1.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MYR 10.76

$1.76 MX$30.68

54.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 MYR 15.58

$3.68 MX$64.1

7.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.39 MX$6.71

17.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.83 MYR 46.73

$18.66 MX$325

-36.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.01

$1.39 MX$24.12

-26.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 MYR 3.95

$0.30 MX$5.29

233.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 MYR 37.22

$5.42 MX$94.3

73.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$1.35 MX$23.50

-65.93%

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

$49.6K MYR 195.7K

$18.9K MX$328.6K

162.43%

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

$31.6K MYR 124.8K

$23.2K MX$402.8K

36.48%

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

$40.52 MYR 160

$40.82 MX$710

-0.73%

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

$9.18 MYR 36.27

$27.50 MX$479

-66.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 MYR 120

$30.38 MX$529

0.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.09 MYR 162

$53.4 MX$930

-23.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.87 MYR 23.19

$26.30 MX$458

-77.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.06

$6.27 MX$109

-18.98%

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

$187 MYR 738

$436 MX$7,588

-57.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,933 MYR 27.4K

$10.5K MX$182.1K

-33.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 MYR 261

$56.8 MX$988

16.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.18 MYR 135

$44.79 MX$779

-23.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MYR 293

$103 MX$1,789

-27.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.12 MYR 190

$108 MX$1,878

-55.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 MYR 1,489

$1,000 MX$17.4K

-62.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 MYR 913

$620 MX$10.8K

-62.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$651 MYR 2,571

$2,137 MX$37.2K

-69.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 MYR 1,693

$1,235 MX$21.5K

-65.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,233 MYR 4,871

$1,067 MX$18.6K

15.55%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $377 in Cheras versus $1,000 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 16% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $286 – 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 77%, 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 $1,259 per month in Cheras and $2,225 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 20% 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 $53.0 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 $839, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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.