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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $607 in Medan versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $933 in Medan versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,260 in Medan versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Medan costs roughly 63% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medan is 56% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

$12.11 MX$206

-85.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

$52.2 MX$887

-83.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

$10.90 MX$185

-72.84%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

$4.05 MX$68.8

-61.73%

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

$0.34 Rp 6,114

$1.72 MX$29.13

-80.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,458

$1.38 MX$23.40

-81.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

$3.47 MX$58.9

-50.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

$5.81 MX$98.7

-38.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

$1.85 MX$31.48

-41.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

$3.22 MX$54.7

-64.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

$2.09 MX$35.42

-60.29%

Eggs

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

$2.91 MX$49.41

-54.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

$12.49 MX$212

-36.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

$10.11 MX$172

-65.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

$15.89 MX$270

-59.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

$3.31 MX$56.3

-26.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

$2.13 MX$36.12

-50.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

$2.19 MX$37.20

-32.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

$2.45 MX$41.57

-60.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$2.19 MX$37.18

-60.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

$1.90 MX$32.35

-8.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 Rp 7,334

$1.62 MX$27.44

-74.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,756

$1.35 MX$22.92

-67.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

$5.43 MX$92.1

-44.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

$17.59 MX$299

-6.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

$2.07 MX$35.12

-7.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

$4.75 MX$80.6

-36.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,759

$0.34 MX$5.77

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

$21.58 MX$366

-71.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,394

$2.04 MX$34.65

-74.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 Rp 3,602

$0.58 MX$9.82

-65.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$1.62 MX$27.44

-52.47%

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

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

$22.8K MX$387.4K

9.35%

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

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

$26.7K MX$452.8K

18.45%

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

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

$65.2 MX$1,108

32.53%

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

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

$29.87 MX$507

-88.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

$36.55 MX$621

-36.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

$61.0 MX$1,036

-72.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

$26.70 MX$453

-67.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

$6.85 MX$116

-49.93%

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

$114 Rp 2.0M

$453 MX$7,700

-74.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

$13.4K MX$227.1K

-87.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

$75.0 MX$1,273

-24.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

$55.3 MX$939

-29.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 Rp 1.9M

$114 MX$1,929

-7.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 Rp 2.0M

$123 MX$2,083

-6.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 Rp 3.1M

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-84.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

$712 MX$12.1K

-87.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 Rp 8.8M

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-80.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 Rp 3.8M

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-83.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

$3,993 MX$67.8K

-71.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 Rp 10.1M

$2,095 MX$35.6K

-72.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$214 Rp 3.8M

$1,047 MX$17.8K

-79.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

11.3

-18.14%

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

Last update for Medan: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $177 in Medan and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 389% 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 Medan vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $345 per month, with Medan 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

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

Medan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 171% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 389% 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: $177 in Medan 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 Medan runs roughly 256% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $114 in Medan versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $607 in Medan versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Medan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 171% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.