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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $665 in Makassar versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,003 in Makassar versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,341 in Makassar versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Makassar costs roughly 54% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Makassar is 50% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 Rp 54.2K

$13.07 MX$229

-76.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.36 Rp 167.5K

$53.8 MX$940

-82.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.00 Rp 53.7K

$9.68 MX$169

-69.01%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

$3.74 MX$65.4

-51.87%

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

$0.65 Rp 11.7K

$1.62 MX$28.25

-59.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,117

$1.16 MX$20.31

-65.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 Rp 64.6K

$3.23 MX$56.4

11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 Rp 64.9K

$4.74 MX$82.9

-23.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.65 MX$28.80

-1.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

$2.75 MX$48.15

-60.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 Rp 11.4K

$1.87 MX$32.77

-65.78%

Eggs

$1.43 Rp 25.6K

$2.50 MX$43.72

-42.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.37 Rp 96.1K

$10.20 MX$178

-47.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$8.25 MX$144

-65.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.26 Rp 76.2K

$11.82 MX$207

-63.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 40.0K

$3.01 MX$52.6

-25.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.4K

$1.81 MX$31.67

-12.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.7K

$2.00 MX$34.96

-8.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.0K

$2.00 MX$34.89

-21.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.4K

$2.08 MX$36.45

-39.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

$2.27 MX$39.72

-31.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 Rp 7,975

$1.46 MX$25.47

-69.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 Rp 8,444

$1.08 MX$18.82

-56.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$4.35 MX$76.0

-42.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.33 Rp 399.5K

$16.99 MX$297

31.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 Rp 36.1K

$1.73 MX$30.31

16.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 Rp 43.4K

$3.58 MX$62.5

-32.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,280

$0.39 MX$6.77

-23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.56 Rp 81.7K

$18.69 MX$327

-75.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

$1.33 MX$23.18

-57.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,112

$0.28 MX$4.89

3.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 Rp 55.9K

$5.25 MX$91.8

-40.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$1.34 MX$23.37

-41.79%

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

$16.7K Rp 298.9M

$19.4K MX$339.4K

-13.93%

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

$18.4K Rp 330.0M

$23.8K MX$416.7K

-22.60%

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

$66.8 Rp 1.2M

$40.69 MX$712

64.22%

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

$3.59 Rp 64.2K

$26.87 MX$470

-86.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.49 Rp 581.2K

$30.51 MX$534

6.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.23 Rp 415.6K

$52.8 MX$923

-55.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.09 Rp 109.0K

$26.65 MX$466

-77.15%

Cinema Ticket

$3.15 Rp 56.4K

$6.51 MX$114

-51.61%

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

$106 Rp 1.9M

$428 MX$7,485

-75.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,103 Rp 73.4M

$10.5K MX$183.6K

-60.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 Rp 521.3K

$57.3 MX$1,001

-49.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.17 Rp 450.3K

$45.50 MX$796

-44.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 Rp 1.5M

$104 MX$1,819

-20.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.19 Rp 772.7K

$108 MX$1,885

-59.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 Rp 3.8M

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-78.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$623 MX$10.9K

-73.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 Rp 7.6M

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-79.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 Rp 6.1M

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-72.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,355 Rp 24.2M

$3,885 MX$67.9K

-65.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 Rp 9.8M

$2,033 MX$35.5K

-73.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$209 Rp 3.7M

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-79.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-47.09%

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

Last update for Makassar: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in Makassar and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 397% 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: $9.00 in Makassar vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $292 per month, with Makassar 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

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

Makassar wins on cost – living expenses run 119% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Makassar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 397% 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: $214 in Makassar versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Makassar runs roughly 310% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $106 in Makassar versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $665 in Makassar versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Makassar but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Makassar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Makassar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $665 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Makassar hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Makassar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 119% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.