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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $840 per month in Jakarta vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,379 per month in Jakarta vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,919 per month in Jakarta vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

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

Jakarta sits 37% below the global median, while Mexico City is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 Rp 56.0K

$13.07 MX$228

-76.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.11 Rp 325.4K

$53.8 MX$936

-66.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.46 Rp 62.3K

$9.68 MX$169

-64.26%

Cappuccino

$2.10 Rp 37.8K

$3.74 MX$65.1

-43.85%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,908

$1.62 MX$28.13

-66.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,086

$1.16 MX$20.23

-75.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 Rp 50.8K

$3.23 MX$56.2

-12.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 Rp 75.7K

$4.74 MX$82.5

-11.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$1.65 MX$28.68

-18.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$2.75 MX$47.95

-57.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

$1.87 MX$32.63

-49.20%

Eggs

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

$2.50 MX$43.54

-28.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 Rp 116.7K

$10.20 MX$178

-36.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

$8.25 MX$144

-60.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 Rp 135.7K

$11.82 MX$206

-36.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 Rp 52.6K

$3.01 MX$52.4

-2.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 28.9K

$1.81 MX$31.54

-11.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.8K

$2.00 MX$34.81

13.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

$2.00 MX$34.74

-22.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

$2.08 MX$36.30

-13.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 Rp 47.0K

$2.27 MX$39.56

14.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

$1.46 MX$25.36

-27.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,284

$1.08 MX$18.74

-57.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$4.35 MX$75.7

-31.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.56 Rp 369.5K

$16.99 MX$296

21.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

$1.73 MX$30.18

27.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 Rp 58.3K

$3.58 MX$62.3

-9.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 Rp 3,760

$0.39 MX$6.74

-46.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.21 Rp 219.4K

$18.69 MX$325

-34.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,622

$1.33 MX$23.08

-59.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,681

$0.28 MX$4.87

32.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 Rp 56.0K

$5.25 MX$91.5

-40.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$1.34 MX$23.27

-40.30%

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

$30.2K Rp 542.7M

$19.4K MX$338.0K

55.58%

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

$32.7K Rp 588.0M

$23.8K MX$415.0K

37.29%

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

$89.4 Rp 1.6M

$40.69 MX$709

119.76%

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

$6.51 Rp 116.9K

$26.87 MX$468

-75.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 Rp 488.9K

$30.51 MX$531

-10.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.97 Rp 538.6K

$52.8 MX$919

-43.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.61 Rp 226.7K

$26.65 MX$464

-52.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.10 Rp 55.7K

$6.51 MX$113

-52.38%

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

$166 Rp 3.0M

$428 MX$7,454

-61.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,566 Rp 171.9M

$10.5K MX$182.8K

-8.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 Rp 1.0M

$57.3 MX$997

0.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.85 Rp 608.2K

$45.50 MX$792

-25.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$104 MX$1,812

-20.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 Rp 1.6M

$108 MX$1,878

-16.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 Rp 6.8M

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-62.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 Rp 4.2M

$623 MX$10.8K

-62.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 Rp 20.7M

$2,109 MX$36.7K

-45.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.9M

$1,218 MX$21.2K

-45.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,958 Rp 53.2M

$3,885 MX$67.6K

-23.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,431 Rp 25.7M

$2,033 MX$35.4K

-29.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$421 Rp 7.6M

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-59.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

11.34

-15.43%

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

Last update for Jakarta: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $381 in Jakarta versus $1,003 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 146% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Jakarta versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $292 – making Jakarta 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

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

Mexico City costs about 73% more than Jakarta, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,260 per month in Jakarta and $2,185 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $166 per month in Jakarta and $428 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jakarta, where all-in costs run around $840, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Jakarta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jakarta costs $840 versus $1,456 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Jakarta. 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.