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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $672 in Balikpapan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,070 in Balikpapan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,468 in Balikpapan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 147% more expensive than in Balikpapan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Balikpapan is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

763.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$11.14 Rp 197.3K

363.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$3.17 Rp 56.1K

259.94%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.45 Rp 25.8K

175.17%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.38 Rp 6,782

336.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.37 Rp 6,529

259.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$2.40 Rp 42.5K

44.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.53 Rp 62.5K

67.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.19 Rp 21.0K

57.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

192.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

84.62%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.59 Rp 45.9K

11.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$7.34 Rp 130.0K

75.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$2.97 Rp 52.6K

238.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$6.78 Rp 120.1K

133.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

44.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.27 Rp 22.4K

58.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

29.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

88.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.31 Rp 23.3K

56.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$2.01 Rp 35.6K

-5.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

120.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

102.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

187.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$20.60 Rp 364.7K

-14.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

7.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$3.00 Rp 53.0K

56.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.55 Rp 9,817

-38.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

82.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.34 Rp 5,944

64.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$2.89 Rp 51.2K

101.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

111.84%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$23.5K Rp 416.3M

-2.84%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$31.2K Rp 552.0M

-14.19%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

-6.73%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

565.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$29.58 Rp 523.8K

25.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$24.45 Rp 433.0K

144.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$8.64 Rp 153.1K

207.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

147.02%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$94.7 Rp 1.7M

390.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$6,923 Rp 122.6M

91.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$38.44 Rp 680.6K

97.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$19.51 Rp 345.5K

186.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$141 Rp 2.5M

-20.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

70.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$203 Rp 3.6M

441.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$156 Rp 2.8M

360.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$557 Rp 9.9M

353.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$367 Rp 6.5M

252.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,079 Rp 19.1M

269.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$709 Rp 12.6M

194.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$245 Rp 4.3M

322.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

9.46

19.45%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $203 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 323% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $11.00 in Balikpapan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $203 per month, with Balikpapan 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 Balikpapan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Balikpapan differ by about 147% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $672 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 323% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $203 in Balikpapan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $94.7 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Balikpapan – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $672 in Balikpapan versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Balikpapan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Balikpapan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Balikpapan 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 Balikpapan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 147% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.