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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $475 per month in Malang vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $746 per month in Malang vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,017 per month in Malang vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Malang is about 67% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Malang sits 64% below the global median, while Mexico City is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.25 Rp 22.5K

$13.07 MX$229

-90.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.34 Rp 221.4K

$53.8 MX$943

-77.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.98 Rp 53.5K

$9.68 MX$170

-69.21%

Cappuccino

$1.40 Rp 25.1K

$3.74 MX$65.6

-62.57%

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

$0.61 Rp 11.0K

$1.62 MX$28.34

-62.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 Rp 3,927

$1.16 MX$20.37

-81.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 Rp 44.9K

$3.23 MX$56.6

-22.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 Rp 56.4K

$4.74 MX$83.1

-33.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Rp 20.2K

$1.65 MX$28.89

-31.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

$2.75 MX$48.30

-45.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$1.87 MX$32.87

-53.48%

Eggs

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

$2.50 MX$43.86

-39.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.30 Rp 113.0K

$10.20 MX$179

-38.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 Rp 58.0K

$8.25 MX$145

-60.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.06 Rp 126.6K

$11.82 MX$207

-40.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.8K

$3.01 MX$52.8

-20.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

$1.81 MX$31.77

-13.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 Rp 30.2K

$2.00 MX$35.07

-15.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 Rp 25.7K

$2.00 MX$35.00

-28.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

$2.08 MX$36.56

-34.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

$2.27 MX$39.85

-20.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 Rp 9,835

$1.46 MX$25.55

-62.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,018

$1.08 MX$18.88

-58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.5K

$4.35 MX$76.3

-42.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 Rp 226.5K

$16.99 MX$298

-25.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 Rp 32.0K

$1.73 MX$30.40

2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.8K

$3.58 MX$62.7

-11.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 Rp 11.3K

$0.39 MX$6.79

61.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.09 Rp 109.3K

$18.69 MX$328

-67.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,451

$1.33 MX$23.25

-64.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,651

$0.28 MX$4.91

10.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.32 Rp 113.4K

$5.25 MX$92.1

20.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$1.34 MX$23.44

-38.06%

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

$20.6K Rp 370.3M

$19.4K MX$340.5K

6.35%

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

$27.4K Rp 490.8M

$23.8K MX$418.0K

14.81%

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

$33.49 Rp 600.8K

$40.69 MX$714

-17.69%

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

$2.64 Rp 47.4K

$26.87 MX$471

-90.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.86 Rp 356.3K

$30.51 MX$535

-34.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.85 Rp 266.3K

$52.8 MX$926

-71.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.03 Rp 90.2K

$26.65 MX$467

-81.13%

Cinema Ticket

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

$6.51 MX$114

-66.05%

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

$33.25 Rp 596.5K

$428 MX$7,508

-92.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,348 Rp 167.7M

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-10.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.80 Rp 767.7K

$57.3 MX$1,004

-25.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.76 Rp 551.8K

$45.50 MX$798

-32.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.4 Rp 1.1M

$104 MX$1,825

-42.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 Rp 1.5M

$108 MX$1,891

-22.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-83.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$49.79 Rp 893.2K

$623 MX$10.9K

-92.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 Rp 5.0M

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-86.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.2 Rp 1.7M

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-92.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$198 Rp 3.6M

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-80.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-64.73%

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

Last update for Malang: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $163 in Malang versus $1,003 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 424% 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 $12.00 in Malang versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $292 – making Malang 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

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

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 207%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $712 per month in Malang and $2,185 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 207% less in Malang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $33.25 per month in Malang and $428 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Malang, where all-in costs run around $475, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Malang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Malang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Malang. 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.