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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $530 per month in Madang vs $1,447 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,180 per month in Madang vs $2,310 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,831 per month in Madang vs $3,174 in Mexico City, rent included.

Madang is about 63% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Madang sits 61% below the global median, while Mexico City is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.85 PGK 29.44

$12.98 MX$223

-47.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.80 PGK 167

$52.6 MX$903

-26.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.71 PGK 46.02

$9.43 MX$162

13.57%

Cappuccino

$2.34 PGK 10.03

$3.57 MX$61.3

-34.45%

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

$1.22 PGK 5.22

$1.61 MX$27.55

-24.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 PGK 3.00

$1.15 MX$19.81

-39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 PGK 12.68

$3.15 MX$54.0

-6.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 PGK 18.47

$4.86 MX$83.4

-11.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 PGK 8.08

$1.70 MX$29.17

10.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 PGK 6.06

$2.64 MX$45.23

-46.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 PGK 6.24

$1.90 MX$32.67

-23.68%

Eggs

$3.28 PGK 14.10

$2.54 MX$43.62

29.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.61 PGK 24.12

$8.29 MX$142

-32.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.19 PGK 35.18

$11.57 MX$199

-29.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.35 PGK 22.99

$3.03 MX$52.0

76.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 PGK 10.44

$1.71 MX$29.35

42.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 PGK 3.92

$2.05 MX$35.16

-55.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 PGK 8.44

$2.06 MX$35.36

-4.85%

Potato (1kg)

$4.85 PGK 20.85

$2.06 MX$35.43

135.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 PGK 12.58

$2.17 MX$37.25

35.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.10 PGK 26.19

$1.40 MX$24.08

335.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 PGK 1.96

$1.12 MX$19.26

-58.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.20 PGK 22.33

$4.29 MX$73.7

21.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 PGK 9.21

$1.67 MX$28.74

28.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 PGK 10.21

$3.69 MX$63.3

-35.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 PGK 4.71

$1.28 MX$21.98

-14.06%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

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

$68.1 PGK 292

$41.02 MX$704

65.94%

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

$26.92 MX$462

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 PGK 103

$29.69 MX$510

-18.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

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

$80.3 PGK 345

$427 MX$7,331

-81.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,942 PGK 25.5K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-44.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.19 PGK 82.4

$56.8 MX$975

-66.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.45 PGK 62.1

$44.83 MX$769

-67.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 PGK 290

$105 MX$1,794

-35.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.32 PGK 122

$106 MX$1,819

-73.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$951 PGK 4,085

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-55.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 PGK 2,542

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-52.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Madang: June 9, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Madang versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $288 – making Madang 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

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

Mexico City costs about 173% more than Madang, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $795 per month in Madang and $2,171 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Madang and $53.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Madang, where all-in costs run around $530, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Madang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Madang costs $530 versus $1,447 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Madang. 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.