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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $913 in Labuan versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,403 in Labuan versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,893 in Labuan versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Labuan costs roughly 37% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Labuan is 32% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.41 MYR 22.14

$13.07 MX$229

-58.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.81 MYR 97.4

$53.8 MX$940

-55.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 MYR 26.79

$9.68 MX$169

-32.33%

Cappuccino

$3.72 MYR 15.22

$3.74 MX$65.4

-0.53%

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

$1.06 MYR 4.35

$1.62 MX$28.25

-34.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$1.16 MX$20.31

-66.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 MYR 14.35

$3.23 MX$56.4

8.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 MYR 20.40

$4.74 MX$82.9

5.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MYR 6.84

$1.65 MX$28.80

1.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.14

$2.75 MX$48.15

-63.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.24

$1.87 MX$32.77

-31.55%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.64

$2.50 MX$43.72

-15.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.92 MYR 61.1

$10.20 MX$178

46.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 MYR 18.09

$8.25 MX$144

-46.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 MYR 39.53

$11.82 MX$207

-18.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MYR 12.26

$3.01 MX$52.6

-0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.25

$1.81 MX$31.67

-15.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MYR 10.61

$2.00 MX$34.96

29.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.64

$2.00 MX$34.89

-31.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$2.08 MX$36.45

-42.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.23

$2.27 MX$39.72

-43.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MYR 4.23

$1.46 MX$25.47

-29.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.11

$1.08 MX$18.82

-52.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 17.54

$4.35 MX$76.0

-1.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 MYR 68.1

$16.99 MX$297

-2.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 MYR 11.68

$1.73 MX$30.31

64.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.28

$3.58 MX$62.5

-16.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.85

$0.39 MX$6.77

79.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 MYR 48.13

$18.69 MX$327

-37.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.72

$1.33 MX$23.18

-13.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 MYR 4.25

$0.28 MX$4.89

271.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 MYR 24.77

$5.25 MX$91.8

15.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$1.34 MX$23.37

-65.67%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.7K

$19.4K MX$339.4K

79.59%

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

$31.9K MYR 130.6K

$23.8K MX$416.7K

33.92%

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

$44.09 MYR 180

$40.69 MX$712

8.36%

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

$8.95 MYR 36.62

$26.87 MX$470

-66.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.98 MYR 119

$30.51 MX$534

-5.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.71 MYR 150

$52.8 MX$923

-30.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 MYR 23.72

$26.65 MX$466

-78.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MYR 20.10

$6.51 MX$114

-24.58%

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

$191 MYR 783

$428 MX$7,485

-55.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,796 MYR 27.8K

$10.5K MX$183.6K

-35.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 MYR 245

$57.3 MX$1,001

4.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.52 MYR 113

$45.50 MX$796

-39.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 MYR 298

$104 MX$1,819

-30.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.6 MYR 211

$108 MX$1,885

-52.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 MYR 1,559

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-62.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 MYR 1,113

$623 MX$10.9K

-56.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MYR 2,623

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-69.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,918

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-61.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,970 MYR 8,063

$3,885 MX$67.9K

-49.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,287 MYR 5,268

$2,033 MX$35.5K

-36.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$371 MYR 1,517

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-64.28%

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 Labuan: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $381 in Labuan and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 180% 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: $24.00 in Labuan vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $248 vs $292 per month, with Labuan 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

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

Labuan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 180% 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: $381 in Labuan versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $191 in Labuan versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $913 in Labuan versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Labuan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Labuan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Labuan 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, Labuan 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 Labuan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.