Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $828 in George Town versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,304 in George Town versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,781 in George Town versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in George Town costs roughly 43% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: George Town is 38% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 MYR 12.71

$12.98 MX$223

-75.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.31 MYR 86.4

$52.6 MX$903

-59.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 MYR 16.80

$9.43 MX$162

-56.10%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MYR 10.46

$3.57 MX$61.3

-27.73%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.14

$1.61 MX$27.55

-52.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.36

$1.15 MX$19.81

-71.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 MYR 17.26

$3.15 MX$54.0

35.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 MYR 19.42

$4.86 MX$83.4

-1.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.50

$1.70 MX$29.17

8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.54

$2.64 MX$45.23

-57.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.85

$1.90 MX$32.67

-11.05%

Eggs

$2.05 MYR 8.32

$2.54 MX$43.62

-19.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.52 MYR 71.0

$10.08 MX$173

73.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 20.07

$8.29 MX$142

-40.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MYR 43.24

$11.57 MX$199

-7.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 MYR 11.44

$3.03 MX$52.0

-6.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.82

$1.71 MX$29.35

-16.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MYR 8.87

$2.05 MX$35.16

6.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$2.06 MX$35.36

-38.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MYR 3.59

$2.06 MX$35.43

-56.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 MYR 4.91

$2.17 MX$37.25

-44.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MYR 2.78

$1.40 MX$24.08

-50.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$1.12 MX$19.26

-50.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 MYR 16.28

$4.29 MX$73.7

-6.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.54 MYR 50.9

$15.41 MX$265

-18.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 MYR 10.68

$1.67 MX$28.74

57.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 MYR 13.72

$3.69 MX$63.3

-8.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 MYR 1.97

$0.38 MX$6.55

28.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 MYR 46.89

$19.06 MX$327

-39.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.72

$1.38 MX$23.70

-15.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 MYR 1.78

$0.28 MX$4.74

57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 MYR 26.80

$5.42 MX$92.9

21.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.89

$1.28 MX$21.98

-63.28%

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

$33.2K MYR 134.6K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

74.83%

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

$24.7K MYR 100.2K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

5.35%

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

$38.53 MYR 156

$41.02 MX$704

-6.07%

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

$9.93 MYR 40.25

$26.92 MX$462

-63.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.52 MYR 120

$29.69 MX$510

-0.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.84 MYR 157

$52.3 MX$898

-25.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.66 MYR 14.85

$26.23 MX$450

-86.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 MYR 16.45

$6.18 MX$106

-34.30%

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

$150 MYR 607

$427 MX$7,331

-64.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,580 MYR 18.6K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-57.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 MYR 206

$56.8 MX$975

-10.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.05 MYR 118

$44.83 MX$769

-35.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 MYR 245

$105 MX$1,794

-42.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.4 MYR 213

$106 MX$1,819

-50.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 MYR 1,501

$995 MX$17.1K

-62.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 MYR 1,051

$621 MX$10.7K

-58.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 MYR 2,887

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-66.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 2,018

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-60.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,085 MYR 4,400

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-2.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

11.34

-63.32%

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

Last update for George Town: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $370 in George Town and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 2% 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: $21.00 in George Town vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $288 per month, with George Town 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

George Town vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mexico City earns 2% 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: $370 in George Town versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 65% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $150 in George Town versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $828 in George Town versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George Town but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes George Town the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, George Town is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, George Town 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 George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.