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: $1,448 in Mexico City versus $778 in Balikpapan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,354 in Mexico City versus $1,200 in Balikpapan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Mexico City versus $1,622 in Balikpapan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 86% more expensive than Balikpapan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Balikpapan is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$1.57 Rp 27.8K

725.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$15.13 Rp 268.0K

245.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

189.25%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

116.76%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$0.40 Rp 7,116

290.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$0.38 Rp 6,803

205.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$2.01 Rp 35.7K

61.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

55.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$1.89 Rp 33.6K

-10.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

117.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

48.82%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

-5.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$7.92 Rp 140.3K

26.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$5.03 Rp 89.2K

69.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$7.95 Rp 140.8K

50.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$3.73 Rp 66.0K

-20.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

15.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$2.12 Rp 37.6K

-5.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$1.26 Rp 22.3K

55.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$1.81 Rp 32.1K

19.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$3.62 Rp 64.1K

-37.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$0.94 Rp 16.6K

48.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

40.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

103.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$21.59 Rp 382.5K

-23.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

-25.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$4.33 Rp 76.8K

-17.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$0.63 Rp 11.2K

-38.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

$9.67 Rp 171.2K

98.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

10.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$0.38 Rp 6,652

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$5.96 Rp 105.5K

-9.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

74.32%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$24.5K Rp 434.5M

-22.96%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$26.0K Rp 460.5M

-8.46%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

-56.72%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

833.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$31.61 Rp 560.0K

-5.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$21.70 Rp 384.3K

139.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

$6.06 Rp 107.3K

332.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$3.12 Rp 55.3K

100.96%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$61.9 Rp 1.1M

599.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$7,588 Rp 134.4M

38.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$41.41 Rp 733.6K

37.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$20.63 Rp 365.5K

119.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$124 Rp 2.2M

-18.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$124 Rp 2.2M

-12.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$222 Rp 3.9M

347.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$155 Rp 2.8M

296.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$492 Rp 8.7M

324.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$309 Rp 5.5M

306.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

$1,084 Rp 19.2M

263.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

$628 Rp 11.1M

232.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

$195 Rp 3.4M

481.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-24.40%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $994 in Mexico City and $222 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 482% 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 $15.00 in Balikpapan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $252 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 86% in total monthly costs ($1,448 vs $778 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 482% 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: $994 in Mexico City versus $222 in Balikpapan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Balikpapan runs roughly 98% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $433 in Mexico City versus $61.9 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $778 in Balikpapan versus $1,448 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 86% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.