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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $675 in Ambon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,036 in Ambon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,397 in Ambon.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 120% more expensive than 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

$12.98 MX$226

$0.87 Rp 15.1K

1391.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$923

$12.06 Rp 208.2K

340.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$169

$3.41 Rp 58.8K

185.04%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.2

$1.65 Rp 28.6K

127.27%

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

$1.57 MX$27.30

$0.54 Rp 9,335

190.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.64

$0.26 Rp 4,504

334.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.3

$2.51 Rp 43.3K

26.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.1

$3.45 Rp 59.5K

35.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.21

$1.23 Rp 21.2K

31.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.09

$1.12 Rp 19.4K

141.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.70

$0.95 Rp 16.4K

97.89%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.65

$1.57 Rp 27.1K

59.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$175

$8.04 Rp 138.9K

25.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$3.15 Rp 54.4K

163.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$208

$7.76 Rp 134.1K

53.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.77

$2.39 Rp 41.2K

19.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.45

$1.49 Rp 25.8K

17.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.27

$1.88 Rp 32.5K

10.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.27

$1.50 Rp 25.9K

31.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.58

$1.36 Rp 23.5K

58.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.94

$1.89 Rp 32.6K

15.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.20

$0.95 Rp 16.4K

46.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.57

$0.42 Rp 7,227

166.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.1

$2.55 Rp 44.0K

64.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$248

$22.04 Rp 380.5K

-35.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.68

$2.11 Rp 36.4K

-16.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.1

$3.20 Rp 55.2K

15.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.71

$0.30 Rp 5,125

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$325

$10.12 Rp 174.7K

84.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.12

$0.53 Rp 9,162

162.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.29

$0.37 Rp 6,453

-18.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.3

$2.95 Rp 50.9K

83.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.50

$0.83 Rp 14.3K

62.65%

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

$18.9K MX$328.6K

$25.0K Rp 431.1M

-24.37%

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

$23.2K MX$402.8K

$27.4K Rp 473.9M

-15.65%

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

$40.82 MX$710

$70.6 Rp 1.2M

-42.16%

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

$27.50 MX$479

$4.32 Rp 74.6K

536.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$529

$22.52 Rp 388.8K

34.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$930

$23.17 Rp 400.0K

130.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$458

$6.09 Rp 105.2K

331.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$109

$3.13 Rp 54.0K

100.32%

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

$436 MX$7,588

$91.9 Rp 1.6M

374.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.1K

$7,453 Rp 128.7M

40.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$988

$40.91 Rp 706.4K

38.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$779

$30.37 Rp 524.4K

47.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,789

$66.5 Rp 1.1M

54.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

48.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.4K

$262 Rp 4.5M

282.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.8K

$157 Rp 2.7M

295.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.2K

$586 Rp 10.1M

264.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.5K

$333 Rp 5.8M

270.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.3K

$1,052 Rp 18.2M

267.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.6K

$883 Rp 15.2M

164.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.6K

$177 Rp 3.1M

503.98%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ambon: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $262 in Ambon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 504% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $12.00 in Ambon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $210 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 120% 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.

Mexico City pays 504% more on average, 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $262 in Ambon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,484 per month in Mexico City versus $675 in Ambon – a 120% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 84% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $675 in Ambon versus $1,484 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 $675 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 120% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.