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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $706 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,153 in Kuala Terengganu versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,600 in Kuala Terengganu versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Kuala Terengganu costs roughly 52% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kuala Terengganu is 47% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 MYR 9.08

$13.18 MX$228

-82.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.99 MYR 87.2

$53.9 MX$932

-59.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.36 MYR 17.30

$9.42 MX$163

-53.72%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 11.79

$3.55 MX$61.4

-16.34%

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

$0.44 MYR 1.75

$1.62 MX$27.98

-72.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 MYR 1.07

$1.11 MX$19.27

-75.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 MYR 14.16

$3.12 MX$54.0

14.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MYR 19.27

$4.63 MX$80.1

4.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 MYR 6.12

$1.70 MX$29.43

-9.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 MYR 3.79

$2.72 MX$47.02

-64.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.95

$1.91 MX$33.07

-34.55%

Eggs

$2.05 MYR 8.11

$2.54 MX$43.86

-19.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.08 MYR 59.8

$10.03 MX$174

50.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.40 MYR 17.46

$8.09 MX$140

-45.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 MYR 38.38

$11.62 MX$201

-16.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 MYR 11.83

$2.97 MX$51.3

0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.76

$1.81 MX$31.24

-19.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MYR 10.20

$2.01 MX$34.82

27.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.47

$2.03 MX$35.20

-32.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.91

$2.12 MX$36.75

-41.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.26

$2.27 MX$39.25

-41.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 MYR 4.16

$1.40 MX$24.22

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.07

$1.13 MX$19.55

-53.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.29

$4.27 MX$73.9

2.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.78 MYR 74.5

$15.56 MX$269

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 MYR 11.19

$1.76 MX$30.39

60.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 11.93

$3.60 MX$62.2

-16.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.95

$0.38 MX$6.62

94.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.98 MYR 47.50

$19.18 MX$332

-37.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.77

$1.38 MX$23.79

-13.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.91

$0.28 MX$4.78

253.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 MYR 23.99

$5.45 MX$94.2

11.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.00

$1.30 MX$22.55

-61.54%

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

$35.4K MYR 140.3K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

89.39%

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

$32.0K MYR 127.0K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

38.43%

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

$43.46 MYR 172

$40.86 MX$707

6.36%

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

$9.35 MYR 37.07

$26.81 MX$464

-65.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MYR 118

$29.96 MX$518

-1.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.44 MYR 144

$52.0 MX$900

-29.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 22.96

$26.84 MX$464

-78.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MYR 19.74

$6.30 MX$109

-20.95%

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

$184 MYR 730

$436 MX$7,544

-57.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,045 MYR 27.9K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-32.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 MYR 242

$56.7 MX$980

7.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.86 MYR 106

$44.38 MX$768

-39.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MYR 294

$103 MX$1,780

-27.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.1 MYR 202

$106 MX$1,825

-51.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 MYR 787

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-80.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 MYR 476

$631 MX$10.9K

-80.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 MYR 2,571

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-69.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,084

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-78.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 MYR 7,823

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-49.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$978 MYR 3,879

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-52.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 MYR 2,001

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-54.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

11.34

-64.11%

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

Last update for Kuala Terengganu: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $199 in Kuala Terengganu and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 121% 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: $22.00 in Kuala Terengganu vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $288 per month, with Kuala Terengganu 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

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

Kuala Terengganu and Mexico City differ by about 108% in total monthly costs ($706 vs $1,467 including rent). Kuala Terengganu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 121% 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: $199 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $706 per month in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 108% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuala Terengganu runs roughly 60% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $706 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kuala Terengganu but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Kuala Terengganu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kuala Terengganu 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 Kuala Terengganu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.