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: $976 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,436 in Kuala Terengganu versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,897 in Kuala Terengganu versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Kuala Terengganu costs roughly 41% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kuala Terengganu is 29% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.50 MYR 10.12

$12.11 MX$206

-79.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.34 MYR 94.4

$52.2 MX$887

-55.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 MYR 20.27

$10.90 MX$185

-54.04%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.26

$4.05 MX$68.8

-31.11%

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

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$1.72 MX$29.13

-73.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 MYR 1.13

$1.38 MX$23.40

-79.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.23 MYR 17.11

$3.47 MX$58.9

21.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MYR 17.08

$5.81 MX$98.7

-27.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 MYR 7.04

$1.85 MX$31.48

-5.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.25

$3.22 MX$54.7

-67.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 MYR 5.26

$2.09 MX$35.42

-37.80%

Eggs

$1.95 MYR 7.87

$2.91 MX$49.41

-32.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.25 MYR 57.6

$12.49 MX$212

14.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 MYR 18.52

$10.11 MX$172

-54.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.22 MYR 41.32

$15.89 MX$270

-35.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MYR 13.38

$3.31 MX$56.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.81

$2.13 MX$36.12

-21.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 MYR 11.25

$2.19 MX$37.20

26.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.10

$2.45 MX$41.57

-28.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.80

$2.19 MX$37.18

-45.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 MYR 4.40

$1.90 MX$32.35

-42.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MYR 4.86

$1.62 MX$27.44

-25.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$1.35 MX$22.92

-60.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.61

$5.43 MX$92.1

-19.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.75 MYR 83.9

$17.59 MX$299

17.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 MYR 10.18

$2.07 MX$35.12

21.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 MYR 16.29

$4.75 MX$80.6

-15.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 MYR 3.35

$0.34 MX$5.77

144.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.21 MYR 45.31

$21.58 MX$366

-48.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.07

$2.04 MX$34.65

-38.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MYR 2.26

$0.58 MX$9.82

-3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.06 MYR 28.55

$5.97 MX$101

18.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 MYR 2.66

$1.62 MX$27.44

-59.26%

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

$41.9K MYR 169.4K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

83.63%

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

$35.7K MYR 144.2K

$26.7K MX$452.8K

33.78%

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

$50.6 MYR 205

$65.2 MX$1,108

-22.39%

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

$9.17 MYR 37.07

$29.87 MX$507

-69.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.58 MYR 107

$36.55 MX$621

-27.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.19 MYR 179

$61.0 MX$1,036

-27.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.54 MYR 26.43

$26.70 MX$453

-75.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 MYR 19.96

$6.85 MX$116

-27.88%

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

$202 MYR 815

$453 MX$7,700

-55.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,936 MYR 20.0K

$13.4K MX$227.1K

-63.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 MYR 247

$75.0 MX$1,273

-18.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.93 MYR 157

$55.3 MX$939

-29.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 MYR 379

$114 MX$1,929

-17.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 MYR 326

$123 MX$2,083

-34.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 MYR 1,764

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-61.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 MYR 1,184

$712 MX$12.1K

-58.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 MYR 3,083

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-70.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MYR 1,906

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-64.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,271 MYR 9,182

$3,993 MX$67.8K

-43.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,153 MYR 4,663

$2,095 MX$35.6K

-44.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 MYR 2,028

$1,047 MX$17.8K

-52.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

11.3

-62.83%

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

Last update for Kuala Terengganu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Kuala Terengganu and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 109% 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: $23.00 in Kuala Terengganu vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $263 vs $345 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 69% in total monthly costs ($976 vs $1,646 including rent). Kuala Terengganu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 109% lower in Mexico City. 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: $436 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $976 per month in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,646 in Mexico City – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuala Terengganu runs roughly 93% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $976 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,646 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 69% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.