Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Bandung

For one person, living is cheaper in Bandung: $641 a month against $1,561 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in Bandung
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Bandung Living Index

Jump to prices

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,561

/mo nomad

Bandung

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$641

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Bandung

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 Bandung actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,561 in Mexico City versus $641 in Bandung.

Mexico City $1,561
Bandung $641

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,440 in Mexico City versus $947 in Bandung.

Mexico City $2,440
Bandung $947

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,319 in Mexico City versus $1,252 in Bandung.

Mexico City $3,319
Bandung $1,252

Living in Mexico City is roughly 143% more expensive than in Bandung, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 16% above, Bandung is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.12 MX$204

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

683.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.99 MX$900

$14.13 Rp 252.5K

246.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 MX$206

$3.31 Rp 59.1K

239.27%

Cappuccino

$3.76 MX$69.0

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

154.05%

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

$1.65 MX$30.34

$0.47 Rp 8,397

251.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$23.48

$0.22 Rp 3,921

481.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MX$59.8

$3.09 Rp 55.1K

5.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 MX$104

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

89.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$33.23

$1.13 Rp 20.1K

60.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 MX$54.0

$0.99 Rp 17.7K

196.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$37.62

$0.88 Rp 15.7K

132.95%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$53.7

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

99.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 MX$219

$7.36 Rp 131.6K

62.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 MX$175

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

238.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 MX$273

$7.75 Rp 138.6K

91.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 MX$57.7

$2.19 Rp 39.1K

43.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.99

$1.07 Rp 19.1K

87.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$38.10

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

38.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 MX$40.72

$0.96 Rp 17.1K

131.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$37.82

$1.10 Rp 19.6K

87.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 MX$34.46

$1.95 Rp 34.8K

-3.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$27.18

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

111.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$24.70

$0.43 Rp 7,728

213.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 MX$99.3

$2.62 Rp 46.9K

106.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.86 MX$310

$22.77 Rp 407.0K

-25.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$36.43

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

8.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 MX$79.4

$3.18 Rp 56.8K

35.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.33

$0.27 Rp 4,788

25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.23 MX$371

$9.61 Rp 171.7K

110.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$38.47

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

144.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.74

$0.55 Rp 9,771

-3.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$99.3

$2.23 Rp 39.8K

142.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$27.91

$0.90 Rp 16.1K

68.89%

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

$21.7K MX$399.0K

$21.1K Rp 376.3M

3.23%

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

$24.8K MX$455.6K

$29.2K Rp 522.8M

-15.16%

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

$63.0 MX$1,156

$33.58 Rp 600.2K

87.52%

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

$28.88 MX$530

$4.25 Rp 75.9K

579.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.93 MX$623

$19.25 Rp 344.1K

76.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 MX$1,024

$18.05 Rp 322.6K

209.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.90 MX$457

$6.00 Rp 107.3K

315.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 MX$124

$2.84 Rp 50.8K

138.38%

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

$428 MX$7,854

$95.7 Rp 1.7M

346.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K MX$218.0K

$8,240 Rp 147.3M

44.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 MX$1,286

$39.08 Rp 698.5K

79.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 MX$986

$32.18 Rp 575.3K

66.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MX$2,016

$76.5 Rp 1.4M

43.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MX$2,115

$69.5 Rp 1.2M

65.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 MX$19.5K

$214 Rp 3.8M

395.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 MX$12.3K

$178 Rp 3.2M

275.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,379 MX$43.7K

$381 Rp 6.8M

525.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 MX$23.1K

$266 Rp 4.8M

373.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,716 MX$68.2K

$725 Rp 13.0M

412.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 MX$36.3K

$312 Rp 5.6M

532.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$997 MX$18.3K

$281 Rp 5.0M

254.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.38

-0.70%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 6, 2026

Last update for Bandung: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$671 42.4%

Bandung

$178 28.4% 73.4% $492

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$327 20.7%

Bandung

$194 30.9% 40.6% $133

Eating Out

Mexico City

$207 13.1%

Bandung

$63 10.1% 69.4% $144

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$157 9.9%

Bandung

$98 15.6% 37.7% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 8%

Bandung

$57 9.1% 54.6% $69

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$69 4.4%

Bandung

$24 3.8% 65.8% $46

Getting Around

Mexico City

$26 1.7%

Bandung

$14 2.3% 45.8% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Mexico City and $214 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 254% 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: $49.00 in Mexico City vs $14.00 in Bandung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $194 per month, with Bandung cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇮🇩 Bandung

🕒 Local time

00:48 12:48 AM

13:48 1:48 PM

13 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

2,390,120

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.45 USD

100 MXN = 4.86 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.59 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,875 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,048 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mexico City Bandung 16,810 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Bandung

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 Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 143% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 254% 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: $1,062 in Mexico City versus $214 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $49.00 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $641 in Bandung versus $1,561 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bandung but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Bandung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bandung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $641 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Bandung 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 Bandung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 143% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.