Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Banda Aceh

For one person, living is cheaper in Banda Aceh: $319 a month against $1,674 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Banda Aceh, Indonesia
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,674
/mo nomad
Banda Aceh
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$319
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Banda Aceh

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Banda Aceh actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,674 per month in Mexico City vs $319 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,674
  • Banda Aceh $319

A couple spends around $2,606 per month in Mexico City vs $510 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,606
  • Banda Aceh $510

A family of three spends $3,537 per month in Mexico City vs $701 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,537
  • Banda Aceh $701

Mexico City costs about 425% more than Banda Aceh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mexico City sits 24% above the global median, while Banda Aceh is 76% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Banda Aceh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.59 MX$197
$2.26 Rp 41.0K
368.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.0 MX$967
$7.09 Rp 128.6K
632.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.73 MX$200
$3.35 Rp 60.7K
220.30%
Cappuccino
$3.80 MX$70.6
$1.22 Rp 22.1K
211.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 MX$30.01
$0.38 Rp 6,876
323.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$22.55
$0.21 Rp 3,801
476.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 MX$59.1
$2.41 Rp 43.7K
31.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.44 MX$101
$3.79 Rp 68.7K
43.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Banda Aceh
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$31.96
$1.62 Rp 29.3K
6.17%
White Bread (500g)
$2.97 MX$55.2
$0.85 Rp 15.4K
249.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.93 MX$35.84
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
138.27%
Eggs
$2.77 MX$51.6
$1.55 Rp 28.2K
78.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.67 MX$217
$8.47 Rp 153.7K
37.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.48 MX$176
$2.41 Rp 43.7K
293.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.37 MX$286
$6.46 Rp 117.2K
137.93%
Apples (1kg)
$3.10 MX$57.8
$2.15 Rp 39.0K
44.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.96 MX$36.49
$0.84 Rp 15.3K
133.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 MX$36.88
$0.81 Rp 14.8K
144.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.34 MX$43.46
$0.79 Rp 14.3K
196.20%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.66
$0.84 Rp 15.3K
140.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 MX$33.95
$3.35 Rp 60.7K
-45.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.54 MX$28.74
$0.86 Rp 15.6K
79.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 MX$24.42
$0.40 Rp 7,239
227.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.35 MX$99.6
$2.94 Rp 53.4K
81.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.19 MX$301
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 MX$36.46
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 MX$81.0
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Banda Aceh
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.30 MX$5.67
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.49 MX$363
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.92 MX$35.68
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 MX$8.80
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 MX$101
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 MX$27.61
$0.88 Rp 16.0K
68.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K MX$397.7K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K MX$442.1K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Banda Aceh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.0 MX$1,154
$33.04 Rp 599.4K
87.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.47 MX$530
$2.27 Rp 41.2K
1154.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.11 MX$635
$23.59 Rp 428.0K
44.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Banda Aceh
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.4 MX$1,087
$9.48 Rp 171.9K
515.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.50 MX$456
$13.23 Rp 239.9K
85.19%
Cinema Ticket
$6.59 MX$123
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Banda Aceh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$434 MX$8,081
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.0K MX$261.2K
$1,910 Rp 34.6M
634.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Banda Aceh
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.4 MX$1,272
$27.71 Rp 502.6K
146.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.8 MX$1,020
$22.33 Rp 405.0K
145.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 MX$2,063
$43.51 Rp 789.3K
154.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 MX$2,158
$27.47 Rp 498.3K
322.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Banda Aceh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,179 MX$21.9K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$771 MX$14.3K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,570 MX$47.8K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,420 MX$26.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,586 MX$66.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,064 MX$38.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Banda Aceh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,003 MX$18.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
0
-

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

Last update for Mexico City: November 1, 2026

Last update for Banda Aceh: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$771
Banda Aceh
–
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$324
Banda Aceh
–
Eating Out
Mexico City
$201
Banda Aceh
–
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$158
Banda Aceh
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$125
Banda Aceh
–
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Banda Aceh
–
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Banda Aceh
–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Mexico City versus $7 in Banda Aceh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $131 – making Banda Aceh the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇮🇩 Banda Aceh
🕒 Local time
16:56 4:56 PM
05:56 5:56 AM
13 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
223,446
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.81 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18,140 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,286 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Banda Aceh 16,820 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Banda Aceh

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Banda Aceh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Banda Aceh cheaper than Mexico City?
Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 425%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,510 per month in Mexico City and $479 in Banda Aceh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do food prices compare in Mexico City and in Banda Aceh?
Groceries cost about 146% more in Mexico City, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Mexico City or in Banda Aceh?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Mexico City and $7 in Banda Aceh. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Mexico City or in Banda Aceh?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Banda Aceh, where all-in costs run around $319, than in Mexico City at $1,674. In Banda Aceh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Mexico City or in Banda Aceh?
It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $319 in Banda Aceh to $1,674 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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