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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $582 per month in Manado vs $1,447 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $892 per month in Manado vs $2,310 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,202 per month in Manado vs $3,174 in Mexico City, rent included.

Manado is about 60% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Manado sits 57% below the global median, while Mexico City is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

$12.98 MX$223

-90.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.45 Rp 169.2K

$52.6 MX$903

-82.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

$9.43 MX$162

-67.02%

Cappuccino

$1.62 Rp 29.1K

$3.57 MX$61.3

-54.62%

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

$0.30 Rp 5,314

$1.61 MX$27.55

-81.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,685

$1.15 MX$19.81

-77.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 Rp 67.9K

$3.15 MX$54.0

20.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 Rp 101.6K

$4.86 MX$83.4

16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.70 MX$29.17

-31.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

$2.64 MX$45.23

-66.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$1.90 MX$32.67

-60.53%

Eggs

$1.89 Rp 33.8K

$2.54 MX$43.62

-25.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 Rp 146.3K

$10.08 MX$173

-19.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 Rp 57.9K

$8.29 MX$142

-61.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.00 Rp 143.3K

$11.57 MX$199

-30.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 Rp 50.9K

$3.03 MX$52.0

-6.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

$1.71 MX$29.35

-15.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

$2.05 MX$35.16

-12.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.0K

$2.06 MX$35.36

-37.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.9K

$2.06 MX$35.43

-35.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

$2.17 MX$37.25

-13.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.3K

$1.40 MX$24.08

-30.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 Rp 8,603

$1.12 MX$19.26

-57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 Rp 43.6K

$4.29 MX$73.7

-43.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.81 Rp 372.8K

$15.41 MX$265

35.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 Rp 32.8K

$1.67 MX$28.74

9.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 Rp 57.6K

$3.69 MX$63.3

-13.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 Rp 6,341

$0.38 MX$6.55

-7.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.11 Rp 181.1K

$19.06 MX$327

-46.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,601

$1.38 MX$23.70

-60.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,652

$0.28 MX$4.74

32.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 Rp 52.5K

$5.42 MX$92.9

-45.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$1.28 MX$21.98

-39.84%

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

$24.5K Rp 438.1M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

28.83%

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

$27.2K Rp 487.3M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

15.93%

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

$25.00 Rp 447.8K

$41.02 MX$704

-39.05%

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

$4.27 Rp 76.4K

$26.92 MX$462

-84.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.32 Rp 400.0K

$29.69 MX$510

-24.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.56 Rp 332.6K

$52.3 MX$898

-64.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 Rp 109.8K

$26.23 MX$450

-76.63%

Cinema Ticket

$2.54 Rp 45.5K

$6.18 MX$106

-58.90%

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

$95.2 Rp 1.7M

$427 MX$7,331

-77.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,063 Rp 90.7M

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-52.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 Rp 1.1M

$56.8 MX$975

10.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.48 Rp 438.6K

$44.83 MX$769

-45.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 Rp 1.7M

$105 MX$1,794

-11.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

$106 MX$1,819

-29.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$322 Rp 5.8M

$995 MX$17.1K

-67.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 Rp 1.8M

$621 MX$10.7K

-83.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 Rp 5.8M

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-84.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 Rp 3.3M

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-85.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,176 Rp 21.1M

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-69.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-67.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$209 Rp 3.7M

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-81.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-11.82%

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

Last update for Manado: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $322 in Manado versus $995 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 431% 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 $9.00 in Manado versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $288 – making Manado 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

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

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 149%, 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 $873 per month in Manado and $2,171 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 89% less in Manado. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $95.2 per month in Manado and $427 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 Manado, where all-in costs run around $582, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Manado it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Manado. 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.