Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Belait and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Belait and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,933 per month in Kuala Belait vs $1,646 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,865 per month in Kuala Belait vs $2,613 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,797 per month in Kuala Belait vs $3,580 in Mexico City, rent included.

Kuala Belait costs about 17% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Kuala Belait and Mexico City sit above the global median – Kuala Belait by 41%, Mexico City by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 BND 9.72

$12.11 MX$206

-36.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.28 BND 60.1

$52.2 MX$887

-9.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 BND 10.05

$10.90 MX$185

-27.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BND 3.78

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 BND 3.07

Cappuccino

$4.64 BND 5.90

$4.05 MX$68.8

14.57%

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

$1.28 BND 1.63

$1.72 MX$29.13

-25.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 BND 1.17

$1.38 MX$23.40

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.7

Milk (1 liter)

$2.54 BND 3.22

$1.85 MX$31.48

37.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 BND 3.11

$3.22 MX$54.7

-24.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 BND 2.84

$2.09 MX$35.42

6.70%

Eggs

$2.71 BND 3.44

$2.91 MX$49.41

-6.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.98 BND 24.13

$12.49 MX$212

51.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 BND 12.20

$10.11 MX$172

-5.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.17 BND 31.99

$15.89 MX$270

58.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 BND 5.91

$3.31 MX$56.3

40.48%

Banana (1kg)

$6.53 BND 8.29

$2.13 MX$36.12

206.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.06 BND 6.44

$2.19 MX$37.20

131.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.04 BND 8.94

$2.45 MX$41.57

187.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 BND 4.18

$2.19 MX$37.18

50.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 BND 3.70

$1.90 MX$32.35

53.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.47 BND 6.96

$1.62 MX$27.44

237.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 BND 1.61

$1.35 MX$22.92

-5.93%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$11.57 BND 14.71

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.94 BND 7.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.78 BND 9.89

$5.43 MX$92.1

43.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$299

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.12

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.77

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$366

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.65

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 BND 0.45

$1.62 MX$27.44

-77.78%

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

$31.3K BND 39.7K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

37.00%

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

$27.0K BND 34.3K

$26.7K MX$452.8K

1.25%

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

$39.36 BND 50.0

$65.2 MX$1,108

-39.67%

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

$21.33 BND 27.11

$29.87 MX$507

-28.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$176 BND 223

$36.55 MX$621

381.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$100 BND 127

$61.0 MX$1,036

64.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 BND 35.49

$26.70 MX$453

4.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.39 BND 6.86

$6.85 MX$116

-21.31%

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

$453 MX$7,700

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,270 BND 11.8K

$13.4K MX$227.1K

-30.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.8 BND 126

$75.0 MX$1,273

31.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$102 BND 129

$55.3 MX$939

83.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$156 BND 199

$114 MX$1,929

37.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$176 BND 224

$123 MX$2,083

43.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 BND 959

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-33.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 BND 986

$712 MX$12.1K

8.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 BND 1,519

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-53.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 BND 1,477

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-11.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,423 BND 4,350

$1,047 MX$17.8K

226.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Kuala Belait: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $754 in Kuala Belait versus $1,134 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 227% higher in Kuala Belait, 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 $47.00 in Kuala Belait versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries tell a different story – $421 in Kuala Belait vs $345 in Mexico City – so Mexico City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kuala Belait vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,933 in Kuala Belait, $1,646 in Mexico City – roughly 17% apart. Kuala Belait costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,900 per month in Kuala Belait and $2,469 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Kuala Belait and $52.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,933 in Kuala Belait and $1,646 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,646, than in Kuala Belait at $1,933. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Belait it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,646 in Mexico City to $1,933 in Kuala Belait. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kuala Belait makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.