Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Bharu and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota Bharu and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $710 per month in Kota Bharu vs $1,660 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,067 per month in Kota Bharu vs $2,565 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,423 per month in Kota Bharu vs $3,470 in Mexico City, rent included.

Kota Bharu is about 57% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kota Bharu sits 48% below the global median, while Mexico City is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 MYR 9.28

$11.92 MX$205

-80.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.02 MYR 61.5

$51.6 MX$886

-70.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 MYR 19.92

$11.41 MX$196

-57.32%

Cappuccino

$2.11 MYR 8.62

$3.99 MX$68.6

-47.12%

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

$0.47 MYR 1.92

$1.66 MX$28.48

-71.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 MYR 1.15

$1.33 MX$22.77

-78.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 MYR 9.91

$3.47 MX$59.6

-30.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MYR 17.61

$5.90 MX$101

-27.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 MYR 6.44

$1.88 MX$32.21

-16.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 MYR 3.55

$3.25 MX$55.9

-73.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 MYR 3.37

$2.16 MX$37.10

-62.04%

Eggs

$1.56 MYR 6.38

$2.90 MX$49.72

-46.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.33 MYR 62.8

$12.86 MX$221

19.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 12.21

$10.05 MX$173

-70.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.59 MYR 26.99

$15.86 MX$272

-58.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 MYR 10.01

$3.29 MX$56.6

-25.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.11

$2.01 MX$34.44

-25.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 MYR 9.53

$2.20 MX$37.76

5.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 MYR 4.46

$2.36 MX$40.44

-53.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 MYR 3.82

$2.05 MX$35.27

-54.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.44

$1.90 MX$32.64

-55.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 MYR 3.17

$1.61 MX$27.55

-51.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.98

$1.40 MX$23.98

-65.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 MYR 13.94

$5.46 MX$93.8

-37.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.50 MYR 88.0

$17.65 MX$303

21.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 MYR 10.25

$2.06 MX$35.28

21.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 MYR 14.76

$4.68 MX$80.4

-22.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.12

$0.34 MX$5.81

123.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.12 MYR 49.63

$20.81 MX$357

-41.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.96

$2.10 MX$35.99

-42.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MYR 2.06

$0.56 MX$9.60

-10.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 MYR 15.49

$5.81 MX$99.8

-34.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 MYR 2.14

$1.61 MX$27.56

-67.70%

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

$31.5K MYR 128.8K

$22.8K MX$392.1K

37.75%

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

$28.5K MYR 116.6K

$26.8K MX$459.2K

6.47%

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

$50.2 MYR 206

$65.2 MX$1,119

-22.97%

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

$8.12 MYR 33.23

$30.09 MX$517

-73.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.57 MYR 113

$37.18 MX$638

-25.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.13 MYR 201

$59.8 MX$1,026

-17.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 MYR 17.99

$7.04 MX$121

-37.50%

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

$124 MYR 509

$465 MX$7,976

-73.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,033 MYR 20.6K

$13.3K MX$227.8K

-62.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 MYR 223

$75.9 MX$1,303

-28.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.45 MYR 79.6

$56.0 MX$960

-65.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 MYR 301

$112 MX$1,920

-34.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.4 MYR 350

$121 MX$2,068

-29.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 MYR 1,012

$1,103 MX$18.9K

-77.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$122 MYR 500

$721 MX$12.4K

-83.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 MYR 2,843

$2,530 MX$43.4K

-72.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 MYR 891

$1,293 MX$22.2K

-83.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$291 MYR 1,189

$1,037 MX$17.8K

-71.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.43

11.3

-60.80%

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

Last update for Kota Bharu: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $247 in Kota Bharu versus $1,103 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 257% 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 $15.00 in Kota Bharu versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $345 – making Kota Bharu 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

Kota Bharu vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 134% more than Kota Bharu, 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 $1,065 per month in Kota Bharu and $2,489 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 72% less in Kota Bharu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $124 per month in Kota Bharu and $465 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 Kota Bharu, where all-in costs run around $710, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Kota Bharu 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. Kota Bharu costs $710 versus $1,660 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 Kota Bharu. 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.