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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $653 in Ambon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,004 in Ambon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,354 in Ambon.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 121% more expensive than Ambon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Ambon is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

1266.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$12.09 Rp 216.5K

335.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

184.04%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

106.36%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.51 Rp 9,159

215.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.24 Rp 4,266

379.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.50 Rp 44.8K

26.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.52 Rp 63.0K

38.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

44.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

123.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$0.90 Rp 16.1K

111.11%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

67.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$8.30 Rp 148.7K

21.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.15 Rp 56.4K

163.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$7.83 Rp 140.3K

47.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.38 Rp 42.7K

27.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.43 Rp 25.6K

19.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.89 Rp 33.8K

8.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

37.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

56.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.87 Rp 33.5K

16.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.97 Rp 17.5K

44.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.41 Rp 7,379

173.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

70.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$21.05 Rp 377.1K

-26.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.01 Rp 36.0K

-16.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$3.19 Rp 57.2K

15.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.30 Rp 5,312

26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$9.55 Rp 171.1K

99.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

142.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.38 Rp 6,770

-26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$3.00 Rp 53.7K

80.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

54.22%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$24.2K Rp 433.1M

-21.49%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$28.0K Rp 500.8M

-16.07%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$68.6 Rp 1.2M

-40.24%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$4.24 Rp 75.9K

534.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$22.52 Rp 403.5K

31.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$23.02 Rp 412.4K

127.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$6.22 Rp 111.4K

321.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$3.16 Rp 56.6K

95.57%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$95.2 Rp 1.7M

348.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$7,658 Rp 137.2M

39.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$42.09 Rp 754.1K

35.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$30.27 Rp 542.2K

48.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$67.4 Rp 1.2M

55.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$74.7 Rp 1.3M

41.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$260 Rp 4.7M

282.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$159 Rp 2.9M

289.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$575 Rp 10.3M

270.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$338 Rp 6.1M

270.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,330 Rp 23.8M

193.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$685 Rp 12.3M

206.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$169 Rp 3.0M

555.29%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ambon: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $260 in Ambon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 555% 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 $288 vs $208 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 121% 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 555% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $260 in Ambon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $653 in Ambon – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 100% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $653 in Ambon versus $1,447 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 $653 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 121% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.