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: $804 in Kuching versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,223 in Kuching versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,642 in Kuching versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Kuching costs roughly 46% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kuching is 40% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 MYR 11.08

$12.98 MX$226

-78.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.00 MYR 79.0

$53.1 MX$923

-62.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MYR 18.49

$9.72 MX$169

-51.85%

Cappuccino

$2.45 MYR 9.69

$3.75 MX$65.2

-34.67%

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

$0.75 MYR 2.94

$1.57 MX$27.30

-52.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.27

$1.13 MX$19.64

-71.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 MYR 11.43

$3.18 MX$55.3

-9.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MYR 14.33

$4.66 MX$81.1

-22.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.51

$1.62 MX$28.21

17.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.43

$2.71 MX$47.09

-58.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 MYR 4.03

$1.88 MX$32.70

-45.74%

Eggs

$2.26 MYR 8.91

$2.51 MX$43.65

-9.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 MYR 37.72

$10.08 MX$175

-5.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 MYR 14.72

$8.29 MX$144

-55.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 MYR 31.56

$11.94 MX$208

-33.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 MYR 12.18

$2.86 MX$49.77

7.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 MYR 4.54

$1.75 MX$30.45

-34.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.36

$2.08 MX$36.27

25.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 MYR 7.15

$1.97 MX$34.27

-8.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.40

$2.16 MX$37.58

-48.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 4.89

$2.18 MX$37.94

-43.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$1.39 MX$24.20

25.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$1.12 MX$19.57

-52.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MYR 16.67

$4.20 MX$73.1

0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.58 MYR 85.3

$14.25 MX$248

51.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 MYR 15.18

$1.76 MX$30.68

118.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MYR 13.71

$3.68 MX$64.1

-5.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 0.99

$0.39 MX$6.71

-35.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 46.78

$18.66 MX$325

-36.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.39 MX$24.12

-29.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$0.30 MX$5.29

270.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 MYR 7.60

$5.42 MX$94.3

-64.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.84

$1.35 MX$23.50

-65.19%

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

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

$18.9K MX$328.6K

144.00%

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

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

$23.2K MX$402.8K

56.74%

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

$40.86 MYR 161

$40.82 MX$710

0.10%

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

$9.15 MYR 36.13

$27.50 MX$479

-66.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.01 MYR 98.8

$30.38 MX$529

-17.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.43 MYR 116

$53.4 MX$930

-44.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.87 MYR 39.00

$26.30 MX$458

-62.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.72 MYR 18.65

$6.27 MX$109

-24.72%

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

$145 MYR 575

$436 MX$7,588

-66.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

$10.5K MX$182.1K

-41.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 MYR 260

$56.8 MX$988

15.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.81 MYR 126

$44.79 MX$779

-28.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 MYR 340

$103 MX$1,789

-16.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 MYR 282

$108 MX$1,878

-33.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MYR 1,123

$1,000 MX$17.4K

-71.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 MYR 800

$620 MX$10.8K

-67.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 MYR 2,237

$2,137 MX$37.2K

-73.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 MYR 1,494

$1,235 MX$21.5K

-69.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,090 MYR 8,254

$3,865 MX$67.3K

-45.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,556 MYR 6,145

$2,332 MX$40.6K

-33.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 MYR 2,186

$1,067 MX$18.6K

-48.13%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Kuching and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 93% 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 $245 vs $286 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 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mexico City earns 93% 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: $284 in Kuching versus $1,000 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 $804 per month in Kuching versus $1,484 in Mexico City – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $804 in Kuching versus $1,484 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 85% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.