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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $802 in Kuching versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,218 in Kuching versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,633 in Kuching versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 45% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kuching is 40% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 MYR 11.19

$12.98 MX$223

-78.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.32 MYR 82.4

$52.6 MX$903

-61.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.51

$9.43 MX$162

-48.99%

Cappuccino

$2.53 MYR 10.26

$3.57 MX$61.3

-29.13%

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

$0.76 MYR 3.07

$1.61 MX$27.55

-52.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 MYR 1.19

$1.15 MX$19.81

-74.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 MYR 11.27

$3.15 MX$54.0

-11.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 MYR 14.63

$4.86 MX$83.4

-25.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MYR 7.76

$1.70 MX$29.17

12.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$2.64 MX$45.23

-58.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.28

$1.90 MX$32.67

-44.21%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.73

$2.54 MX$43.62

-15.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MYR 38.01

$10.08 MX$173

-7.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 MYR 15.36

$8.29 MX$142

-54.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 MYR 32.49

$11.57 MX$199

-30.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 12.14

$3.03 MX$52.0

-1.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.63

$1.71 MX$29.35

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MYR 10.48

$2.05 MX$35.16

26.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 MYR 7.31

$2.06 MX$35.36

-12.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.50

$2.06 MX$35.43

-46.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.01

$2.17 MX$37.25

-42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 MYR 6.87

$1.40 MX$24.08

20.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.13

$1.12 MX$19.26

-52.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 17.00

$4.29 MX$73.7

-2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.36 MYR 86.6

$15.41 MX$265

38.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.69

$1.67 MX$28.74

131.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.82

$3.69 MX$63.3

-7.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 MYR 0.93

$0.38 MX$6.55

-39.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 48.32

$19.06 MX$327

-37.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 MYR 3.76

$1.38 MX$23.70

-32.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$0.28 MX$4.74

296.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$5.42 MX$92.9

-66.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$1.28 MX$21.98

-60.94%

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

$44.6K MYR 180.8K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

134.85%

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

$37.3K MYR 151.3K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

59.08%

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

$41.24 MYR 167

$41.02 MX$704

0.54%

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

$8.92 MYR 36.16

$26.92 MX$462

-66.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 MYR 103

$29.69 MX$510

-14.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.51 MYR 120

$52.3 MX$898

-43.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.77 MYR 39.62

$26.23 MX$450

-62.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 MYR 18.77

$6.18 MX$106

-25.08%

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

$141 MYR 572

$427 MX$7,331

-66.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-43.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 MYR 267

$56.8 MX$975

15.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.99 MYR 130

$44.83 MX$769

-28.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 MYR 348

$105 MX$1,794

-17.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 MYR 290

$106 MX$1,819

-32.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MYR 1,156

$995 MX$17.1K

-71.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 MYR 830

$621 MX$10.7K

-67.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 MYR 2,255

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-73.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,566

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-69.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,144 MYR 8,692

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-45.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 MYR 6,224

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-26.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 MYR 2,239

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-50.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.27

11.34

-62.35%

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

Last update for Kuching: June 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Kuching and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 101% 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: $20.00 in Kuching vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $288 per month, with Kuching 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

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

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mexico City earns 101% 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: $285 in Kuching versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kuching – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $802 per month in Kuching versus $1,447 in Mexico City – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $802 in Kuching versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kuching is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kuching 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 Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.