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: $696 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,142 in Kuala Terengganu versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,588 in Kuala Terengganu versus $3,266 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 48% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.41 MYR 9.88

$13.07 MX$229

-81.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.12 MYR 90.5

$53.8 MX$940

-58.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.73

$9.68 MX$169

-52.69%

Cappuccino

$2.92 MYR 11.97

$3.74 MX$65.4

-21.93%

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

$0.48 MYR 1.96

$1.62 MX$28.25

-70.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 MYR 1.11

$1.16 MX$20.31

-76.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 MYR 14.72

$3.23 MX$56.4

11.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 MYR 20.46

$4.74 MX$82.9

5.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 MYR 6.34

$1.65 MX$28.80

-6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 MYR 3.91

$2.75 MX$48.15

-65.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.35

$1.87 MX$32.77

-29.95%

Eggs

$2.12 MYR 8.68

$2.50 MX$43.72

-15.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.02 MYR 61.5

$10.20 MX$178

47.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 MYR 18.13

$8.25 MX$144

-46.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 MYR 38.82

$11.82 MX$207

-19.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MYR 11.86

$3.01 MX$52.6

-3.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.16

$1.81 MX$31.67

-17.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 MYR 10.31

$2.00 MX$34.96

26.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.82

$2.00 MX$34.89

-29.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.82

$2.08 MX$36.45

-43.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.20

$2.27 MX$39.72

-44.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MYR 4.23

$1.46 MX$25.47

-29.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.15

$1.08 MX$18.82

-51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.62

$4.35 MX$76.0

-0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 MYR 76.2

$16.99 MX$297

9.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 MYR 11.60

$1.73 MX$30.31

63.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 MYR 12.34

$3.58 MX$62.5

-15.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.39 MX$6.77

89.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.55 MYR 47.25

$18.69 MX$327

-38.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$1.33 MX$23.18

-13.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 4.02

$0.28 MX$4.89

250.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 MYR 24.40

$5.25 MX$91.8

13.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.02

$1.34 MX$23.37

-63.43%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.7K

$19.4K MX$339.4K

79.60%

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

$31.3K MYR 128.2K

$23.8K MX$416.7K

31.45%

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

$43.18 MYR 177

$40.69 MX$712

6.12%

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

$8.96 MYR 36.65

$26.87 MX$470

-66.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.00 MYR 119

$30.51 MX$534

-4.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.41 MYR 153

$52.8 MX$923

-29.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.73 MYR 23.46

$26.65 MX$466

-78.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.83

$6.51 MX$114

-25.50%

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

$187 MYR 763

$428 MX$7,485

-56.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,827 MYR 27.9K

$10.5K MX$183.6K

-34.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 251

$57.3 MX$1,001

7.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.14 MYR 111

$45.50 MX$796

-40.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 MYR 301

$104 MX$1,819

-29.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.8 MYR 208

$108 MX$1,885

-52.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$200 MYR 821

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-80.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 MYR 474

$623 MX$10.9K

-81.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$648 MYR 2,653

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-69.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MYR 1,116

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-77.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,050 MYR 8,388

$3,885 MX$67.9K

-47.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,138 MYR 4,656

$2,033 MX$35.5K

-44.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 MYR 2,004

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-52.82%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $200 in Kuala Terengganu and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 112% 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 $249 vs $292 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 109% in total monthly costs ($696 vs $1,456 including rent). Kuala Terengganu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 112% 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: $200 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $696 per month in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,456 in Mexico City – a 109% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuala Terengganu runs roughly 62% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $696 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,456 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 109% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.