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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $764 per month in Malacca vs $1,472 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,161 per month in Malacca vs $2,359 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,558 per month in Malacca vs $3,245 in Mexico City, rent included.

Malacca is about 48% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Malacca sits 43% below the global median, while Mexico City is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 MYR 14.87

$13.14 MX$229

-72.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.74 MYR 76.6

$53.5 MX$934

-64.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.71

$9.33 MX$163

-50.91%

Cappuccino

$3.00 MYR 12.26

$3.70 MX$64.5

-18.92%

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

$0.83 MYR 3.41

$1.60 MX$27.98

-48.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$1.12 MX$19.49

-59.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 MYR 8.56

$3.14 MX$54.7

-33.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 MYR 13.17

$4.85 MX$84.5

-33.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MYR 5.88

$1.65 MX$28.84

-12.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.89

$2.71 MX$47.34

-64.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.29

$1.91 MX$33.29

-32.46%

Eggs

$1.83 MYR 7.47

$2.59 MX$45.17

-29.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.41 MYR 63.0

$9.81 MX$171

57.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 MYR 20.24

$8.43 MX$147

-41.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.54 MYR 47.18

$11.93 MX$208

-3.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 MYR 15.01

$2.95 MX$51.5

24.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.03

$1.74 MX$30.35

-14.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.44

$2.04 MX$35.66

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MYR 8.30

$2.06 MX$35.93

-1.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.27

$2.15 MX$37.49

-28.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.17

$2.26 MX$39.33

-22.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 MYR 5.20

$1.39 MX$24.17

-8.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.31

$1.12 MX$19.47

-49.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 17.52

$4.22 MX$73.6

1.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.86 MYR 56.6

$17.51 MX$305

-20.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MYR 8.23

$1.71 MX$29.82

17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.86

$3.63 MX$63.4

-20.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.86

$0.35 MX$6.15

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 MYR 47.47

$19.32 MX$337

-39.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 MYR 5.93

$1.38 MX$24.00

5.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$0.28 MX$4.81

257.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.84 MYR 23.88

$5.28 MX$92.0

10.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$1.36 MX$23.69

-63.24%

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

$35.7K MYR 145.7K

$19.1K MX$333.2K

86.63%

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

$39.0K MYR 159.5K

$23.6K MX$411.7K

65.36%

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

$46.10 MYR 188

$40.53 MX$707

13.74%

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

$9.29 MYR 37.99

$27.38 MX$478

-66.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.58 MYR 125

$30.38 MX$530

0.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.75 MYR 68.5

$52.2 MX$911

-67.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.61 MYR 47.44

$26.48 MX$462

-56.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MYR 19.82

$6.19 MX$108

-21.65%

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

$189 MYR 771

$425 MX$7,414

-55.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,912 MYR 28.2K

$10.7K MX$187.2K

-35.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.4 MYR 263

$58.3 MX$1,017

10.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.96 MYR 77.5

$44.57 MX$777

-57.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 MYR 304

$103 MX$1,805

-28.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.62 MYR 166

$109 MX$1,897

-62.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 MYR 1,350

$1,014 MX$17.7K

-67.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 MYR 773

$623 MX$10.9K

-69.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 MYR 2,878

$2,119 MX$37.0K

-66.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 MYR 1,144

$1,223 MX$21.3K

-77.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 MYR 8,376

$3,792 MX$66.1K

-45.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,151 MYR 4,704

$2,110 MX$36.8K

-45.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$893 MYR 3,650

$1,052 MX$18.4K

-15.12%

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 Malacca: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $330 in Malacca versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 18% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Malacca versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $293 – making Malacca 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $764 in Malacca, $1,472 in Mexico City – roughly 93% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,146 per month in Malacca and $2,208 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malacca, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Malacca and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $764 in Malacca and $1,472 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malacca, where all-in costs run around $764, than in Mexico City at $1,472. In Malacca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $764 in Malacca to $1,472 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Malacca. 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.