Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuantan and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuantan and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $791 per month in Kuantan vs $1,484 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,173 per month in Kuantan vs $2,381 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,554 per month in Kuantan vs $3,278 in Mexico City, rent included.

Kuantan is about 47% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kuantan sits 41% below the global median, while Mexico City is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.34 MYR 9.24

$12.98 MX$226

-81.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.85 MYR 46.82

$53.1 MX$923

-77.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.44 MYR 13.58

$9.72 MX$169

-64.61%

Cappuccino

$2.26 MYR 8.93

$3.75 MX$65.2

-39.73%

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

$0.63 MYR 2.48

$1.57 MX$27.30

-59.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.33

$1.13 MX$19.64

-69.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 MYR 14.03

$3.18 MX$55.3

11.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.47 MYR 21.60

$4.66 MX$81.1

17.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 MYR 6.68

$1.62 MX$28.21

4.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 MYR 4.22

$2.71 MX$47.09

-60.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 3.96

$1.88 MX$32.70

-46.81%

Eggs

$1.30 MYR 5.13

$2.51 MX$43.65

-48.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 MYR 40.15

$10.08 MX$175

0.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.26

$8.29 MX$144

-59.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.98 MYR 23.62

$11.94 MX$208

-49.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MYR 11.47

$2.86 MX$49.77

1.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MYR 7.06

$1.75 MX$30.45

2.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 MYR 11.41

$2.08 MX$36.27

38.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.00

$1.97 MX$34.27

3.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.08

$2.16 MX$37.58

-40.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 MYR 4.09

$2.18 MX$37.94

-52.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 MYR 2.66

$1.39 MX$24.20

-51.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.19

$1.12 MX$19.57

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.01

$4.20 MX$73.1

2.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.56 MYR 81.2

$14.25 MX$248

44.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 MYR 7.68

$1.76 MX$30.68

10.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MYR 7.53

$3.68 MX$64.1

-48.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.81

$0.39 MX$6.71

17.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.07 MYR 79.3

$18.66 MX$325

7.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 MYR 3.99

$1.39 MX$24.12

-27.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 MYR 1.48

$0.30 MX$5.29

23.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 MYR 16.79

$5.42 MX$94.3

-21.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 1.98

$1.35 MX$23.50

-62.96%

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

$32.4K MYR 128.1K

$18.9K MX$328.6K

71.69%

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

$31.0K MYR 122.3K

$23.2K MX$402.8K

33.69%

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

$24.00 MYR 94.8

$40.82 MX$710

-41.21%

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

$9.26 MYR 36.58

$27.50 MX$479

-66.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.85 MYR 82.4

$30.38 MX$529

-31.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.61 MYR 149

$53.4 MX$930

-29.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.76 MYR 22.76

$26.30 MX$458

-78.10%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 MYR 15.74

$6.27 MX$109

-36.36%

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

$116 MYR 459

$436 MX$7,588

-73.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,244 MYR 16.8K

$10.5K MX$182.1K

-59.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 MYR 279

$56.8 MX$988

24.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.83 MYR 106

$44.79 MX$779

-40.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.45 MYR 152

$103 MX$1,789

-62.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.32 MYR 183

$108 MX$1,878

-57.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$163 MYR 642

$1,000 MX$17.4K

-83.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,046

$620 MX$10.8K

-57.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$211 MYR 833

$2,137 MX$37.2K

-90.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,858

$1,235 MX$21.5K

-61.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,808 MYR 7,142

$3,865 MX$67.3K

-53.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$908 MYR 3,587

$2,332 MX$40.6K

-61.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,026 MYR 4,052

$1,067 MX$18.6K

-3.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.62

11.34

-68.08%

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

Last update for Kuantan: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $163 in Kuantan versus $1,000 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 4% 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 $12.00 in Kuantan versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $286 – making Kuantan 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

Kuantan vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 88%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,186 per month in Kuantan and $2,225 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $116 per month in Kuantan and $436 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuantan, where all-in costs run around $791, than in Mexico City at $1,484. In Kuantan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuantan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Kuantan. 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.