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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $661 in Ambon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,017 in Ambon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,373 in Ambon.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 123% more expensive than in Ambon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Ambon is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$229

$0.88 Rp 16.0K

1393.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$934

$12.22 Rp 220.9K

338.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$163

$3.36 Rp 60.8K

177.68%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.5

$1.74 Rp 31.4K

112.64%

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

$1.60 MX$27.98

$0.51 Rp 9,200

213.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$0.26 Rp 4,741

330.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$2.49 Rp 44.9K

26.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.5

$3.45 Rp 62.4K

40.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.84

$1.19 Rp 21.5K

38.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.34

$1.16 Rp 21.0K

133.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.29

$0.93 Rp 16.8K

105.38%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.17

$1.55 Rp 28.0K

67.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$171

$8.19 Rp 148.0K

19.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.11 Rp 56.3K

171.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$208

$8.07 Rp 145.9K

47.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$2.34 Rp 42.2K

26.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.35

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.66

$1.82 Rp 32.8K

12.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.93

$1.56 Rp 28.2K

32.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.49

$1.33 Rp 24.0K

61.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.33

$1.89 Rp 34.1K

19.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.17

$0.95 Rp 17.3K

46.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.47

$0.45 Rp 8,125

148.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.6

$2.54 Rp 46.0K

66.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$305

$19.90 Rp 359.8K

-12.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.82

$2.13 Rp 38.5K

-19.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$63.4

$3.07 Rp 55.5K

18.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.15

$0.32 Rp 5,787

9.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

$9.70 Rp 175.4K

99.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.00

$0.57 Rp 10.3K

142.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.81

$0.37 Rp 6,747

-24.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$92.0

$2.94 Rp 53.1K

79.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.69

$0.83 Rp 15.1K

63.86%

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

$19.1K MX$333.2K

$24.7K Rp 446.7M

-22.68%

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

$23.6K MX$411.7K

$27.6K Rp 498.2M

-14.32%

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

$40.53 MX$707

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

-42.83%

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

$27.38 MX$478

$4.21 Rp 76.1K

550.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$530

$22.67 Rp 409.9K

34.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$911

$23.43 Rp 423.6K

122.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

$6.00 Rp 108.5K

341.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$108

$3.04 Rp 54.9K

103.62%

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

$425 MX$7,414

$91.5 Rp 1.7M

364.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$187.2K

$7,444 Rp 134.6M

44.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

$42.02 Rp 759.7K

38.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$777

$31.12 Rp 562.6K

43.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,805

$66.9 Rp 1.2M

54.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,897

$72.5 Rp 1.3M

50.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.7K

$261 Rp 4.7M

288.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$158 Rp 2.9M

294.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$37.0K

$582 Rp 10.5M

264.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.3K

$329 Rp 5.9M

272.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

$1,166 Rp 21.1M

225.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

$611 Rp 11.0M

245.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.4K

$170 Rp 3.1M

520.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.15

23.93%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Ambon: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $261 in Ambon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 520% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $12.00 in Ambon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $207 per month, with Ambon 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

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

Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 123% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 520% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $261 in Ambon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,472 per month in Mexico City versus $661 in Ambon – a 123% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 99% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $661 in Ambon versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ambon but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ambon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $661 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Ambon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ambon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 123% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.