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: $660 in Makassar versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $990 in Makassar versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,319 in Makassar versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Makassar costs roughly 60% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Makassar is 52% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$12.11 MX$206

-85.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.14 Rp 162.4K

$52.2 MX$887

-82.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 Rp 58.8K

$10.90 MX$185

-69.63%

Cappuccino

$1.93 Rp 34.4K

$4.05 MX$68.8

-52.35%

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

$0.47 Rp 8,344

$1.72 MX$29.13

-72.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 Rp 6,423

$1.38 MX$23.40

-73.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 Rp 45.4K

$3.47 MX$58.9

-26.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 Rp 58.0K

$5.81 MX$98.7

-43.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

$1.85 MX$31.48

-15.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 Rp 18.6K

$3.22 MX$54.7

-67.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.63 Rp 11.2K

$2.09 MX$35.42

-69.86%

Eggs

$1.50 Rp 26.7K

$2.91 MX$49.41

-48.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 Rp 111.7K

$12.49 MX$212

-49.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 Rp 62.4K

$10.11 MX$172

-65.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 Rp 93.1K

$15.89 MX$270

-67.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 Rp 43.9K

$3.31 MX$56.3

-25.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 Rp 24.8K

$2.13 MX$36.12

-34.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 Rp 35.8K

$2.19 MX$37.20

-7.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.5K

$2.45 MX$41.57

-23.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 Rp 20.3K

$2.19 MX$37.18

-47.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.90 MX$32.35

-16.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

$1.62 MX$27.44

-54.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 Rp 6,834

$1.35 MX$22.92

-71.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$5.43 MX$92.1

-51.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.51 Rp 399.9K

$17.59 MX$299

27.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 Rp 32.6K

$2.07 MX$35.12

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$4.75 MX$80.6

-53.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,159

$0.34 MX$5.77

-14.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.27 Rp 75.8K

$21.58 MX$366

-80.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 Rp 9,106

$2.04 MX$34.65

-75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 6,252

$0.58 MX$9.82

-39.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 Rp 49.1K

$5.97 MX$101

-53.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$1.62 MX$27.44

-51.85%

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

$15.5K Rp 274.7M

$22.8K MX$387.4K

-32.20%

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

$17.1K Rp 302.9M

$26.7K MX$452.8K

-36.05%

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

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$65.2 MX$1,108

35.90%

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

$2.65 Rp 47.1K

$29.87 MX$507

-91.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.53 Rp 453.6K

$36.55 MX$621

-30.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.97 Rp 390.3K

$61.0 MX$1,036

-63.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.62 Rp 401.9K

$26.70 MX$453

-15.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 Rp 60.7K

$6.85 MX$116

-50.07%

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

$95.8 Rp 1.7M

$453 MX$7,700

-78.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,864 Rp 68.6M

$13.4K MX$227.1K

-71.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.10 Rp 481.4K

$75.0 MX$1,273

-63.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.75 Rp 421.9K

$55.3 MX$939

-57.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 Rp 1.3M

$114 MX$1,929

-34.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.26 Rp 733.0K

$123 MX$2,083

-66.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 Rp 3.5M

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-82.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.7M

$712 MX$12.1K

-78.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 Rp 7.1M

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-84.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 Rp 5.6M

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-75.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,415 Rp 25.1M

$3,993 MX$67.8K

-64.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$558 Rp 9.9M

$2,095 MX$35.6K

-73.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$216 Rp 3.8M

$1,047 MX$17.8K

-79.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

-46.90%

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

Last update for Makassar: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $197 in Makassar and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 384% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $345 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 149% 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 384% 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: $197 in Makassar versus $1,134 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 405% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $95.8 in Makassar versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $660 in Makassar versus $1,646 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 $660 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 149% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.