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: $640 in Medan versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $988 in Medan versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,336 in Medan versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Medan costs roughly 56% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medan is 52% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.88 Rp 33.6K

$13.07 MX$229

-85.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.72 Rp 191.8K

$53.8 MX$940

-80.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 Rp 58.7K

$9.68 MX$169

-66.12%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$3.74 MX$65.4

-51.87%

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

$0.39 Rp 7,031

$1.62 MX$28.25

-75.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,855

$1.16 MX$20.31

-76.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$3.23 MX$56.4

-52.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 Rp 93.8K

$4.74 MX$82.9

10.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$1.65 MX$28.80

-28.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$2.75 MX$48.15

-57.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$1.87 MX$32.77

-55.61%

Eggs

$1.53 Rp 27.3K

$2.50 MX$43.72

-38.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 Rp 168.1K

$10.20 MX$178

-7.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 66.4K

$8.25 MX$144

-55.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.83 Rp 122.2K

$11.82 MX$207

-42.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

$3.01 MX$52.6

-22.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

$1.81 MX$31.67

-44.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

$2.00 MX$34.96

-23.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

$2.00 MX$34.89

-56.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$2.08 MX$36.45

-63.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

$2.27 MX$39.72

-44.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 Rp 8,138

$1.46 MX$25.47

-69.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,778

$1.08 MX$18.82

-54.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.3K

$4.35 MX$76.0

-42.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 Rp 284.5K

$16.99 MX$297

-6.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 Rp 24.3K

$1.73 MX$30.31

-21.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.7K

$3.58 MX$62.5

-11.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,810

$0.39 MX$6.77

-17.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.59 Rp 171.5K

$18.69 MX$327

-48.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

$1.33 MX$23.18

-56.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 Rp 3,944

$0.28 MX$4.89

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 Rp 110.5K

$5.25 MX$91.8

17.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$1.34 MX$23.37

-38.81%

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

$28.0K Rp 501.3M

$19.4K MX$339.4K

44.35%

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

$33.9K Rp 606.5M

$23.8K MX$416.7K

42.25%

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

$83.7 Rp 1.5M

$40.69 MX$712

105.58%

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

$3.67 Rp 65.7K

$26.87 MX$470

-86.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.25 Rp 612.7K

$30.51 MX$534

12.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 Rp 415.1K

$52.8 MX$923

-56.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.12 Rp 127.4K

$26.65 MX$466

-73.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.49 Rp 62.5K

$6.51 MX$114

-46.39%

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

$123 Rp 2.2M

$428 MX$7,485

-71.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K Rp 189.5M

$10.5K MX$183.6K

0.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 Rp 1.2M

$57.3 MX$1,001

16.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.18 Rp 754.5K

$45.50 MX$796

-7.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 Rp 2.1M

$104 MX$1,819

10.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.5 Rp 1.2M

$108 MX$1,885

-39.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 Rp 3.5M

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-80.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$100 Rp 1.8M

$623 MX$10.9K

-83.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 Rp 9.5M

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-74.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 Rp 4.2M

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-80.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,110 Rp 19.8M

$3,885 MX$67.9K

-71.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$550 Rp 9.8M

$2,033 MX$35.5K

-72.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 Rp 3.8M

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-79.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

11.34

-18.43%

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

Last update for Medan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $196 in Medan and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 387% 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: $11.00 in Medan vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $292 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 127% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 387% 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: $196 in Medan versus $1,003 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 95% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $123 in Medan versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $640 in Medan versus $1,456 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 127% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.