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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $445 per month in Karawang vs $1,591 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $803 per month in Karawang vs $2,478 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,161 per month in Karawang vs $3,365 in Mexico City, rent included.

Karawang is about 72% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Karawang sits 67% below the global median, while Mexico City is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

$12.06 MX$219

-88.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.15 Rp 199.5K

$50.8 MX$923

-78.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.41 Rp 61.0K

$10.90 MX$198

-68.72%

Cappuccino

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

$3.75 MX$68.2

-61.60%

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

$0.40 Rp 7,234

$1.61 MX$29.28

-75.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 Rp 3,321

$1.32 MX$23.89

-85.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

$3.37 MX$61.1

-7.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 Rp 54.0K

$5.69 MX$103

-46.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Rp 20.1K

$1.77 MX$32.14

-36.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

$3.08 MX$55.9

-66.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$1.97 MX$35.70

-55.84%

Eggs

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

$2.79 MX$50.7

-46.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$11.92 MX$216

-76.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.84 Rp 50.8K

$9.40 MX$171

-69.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 Rp 139.8K

$15.30 MX$278

-48.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 Rp 31.4K

$3.16 MX$57.3

-44.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

$1.98 MX$35.96

-45.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

$2.07 MX$37.60

-38.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 Rp 8,633

$2.33 MX$42.26

-79.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

$2.07 MX$37.57

-57.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

$1.92 MX$34.91

-21.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 Rp 12.2K

$1.52 MX$27.67

-55.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,569

$1.32 MX$24.05

-68.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$5.26 MX$95.5

-47.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.55 Rp 403.6K

$16.84 MX$306

33.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 Rp 33.5K

$1.95 MX$35.43

-4.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$4.37 MX$79.4

-24.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 Rp 10.6K

$0.34 MX$6.20

73.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.99 MX$363

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.98 MX$35.87

-57.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 Rp 9,294

$0.57 MX$10.42

-8.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 Rp 20.3K

$5.42 MX$98.5

-79.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$1.53 MX$27.74

-47.71%

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

$21.0K Rp 374.9M

$21.5K MX$390.2K

-2.49%

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

$28.5K Rp 510.6M

$25.3K MX$460.0K

12.63%

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

$33.85 Rp 605.7K

$61.5 MX$1,117

-44.98%

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

$4.24 Rp 75.8K

$27.38 MX$497

-84.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.59 Rp 225.2K

$34.93 MX$634

-63.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.24 Rp 362.2K

$56.8 MX$1,032

-64.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.43 Rp 150.8K

$25.27 MX$459

-66.64%

Cinema Ticket

$2.82 Rp 50.4K

$6.84 MX$124

-58.77%

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

$43.23 Rp 773.5K

$438 MX$7,958

-90.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,186 Rp 146.5M

$12.8K MX$233.2K

-36.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.40 Rp 293.5K

$71.2 MX$1,293

-76.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.34 Rp 489.2K

$53.7 MX$976

-49.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.10 Rp 860.6K

$109 MX$1,983

-55.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.99 Rp 876.6K

$117 MX$2,120

-58.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$137 Rp 2.5M

$1,050 MX$19.1K

-86.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$69.2 Rp 1.2M

$686 MX$12.5K

-89.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 Rp 9.9M

$2,410 MX$43.8K

-77.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 Rp 6.6M

$1,258 MX$22.8K

-70.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,171 Rp 20.9M

$3,814 MX$69.2K

-69.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$606 Rp 10.9M

$1,994 MX$36.2K

-69.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$401 Rp 7.2M

$998 MX$18.1K

-59.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

11.3

0.71%

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

Last update for Karawang: September 28, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $137 in Karawang versus $1,050 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 149% 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 $11.00 in Karawang versus $51.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $328 – making Karawang 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

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

Mexico City costs about 257% more than Karawang, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $668 per month in Karawang and $2,386 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karawang, 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 $445 in Karawang and $1,591 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $43.23 per month in Karawang and $438 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Karawang, where all-in costs run around $445, than in Mexico City at $1,591. In Karawang 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. Karawang costs $445 versus $1,591 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Karawang. 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.